The Untouchable Princess
by Anja Hoyl
Summary: Prince Endymion save Princess Serenity from a man who wants to violate her, but now she can't stand to be touched by men. The fate of the kingdom depends on her marraige though, so she needs a man with limtless patience to teach her love.
1. Prologue

**_Prologue_**

* * *

"I will marry her then." The words rang in my ears as soon as I uttered them. I would? They had just popped out of nowhere, I don't think I even thought them before they spilled out of my mouth. I don't know who was more shocked, the Queen, her two advisors, my mother and father, or me. Had I really just offered to marry the girl?

Well, there was no turning back now...

"You'll do what?" My mother's voice penetrated the air. I suppose she was the first one to recover from her shock.

"Prince Endymion, your offer is very kind, but there is really no need..." Queen Selenity's words sounded hopeful, although I wasn't sure if she was hoping I would drop the offer or stick to it. The sound of her voice seemed to bring everyone out of their trance though, myself included thank goodness.

"Please, your majesty," I started to say before anyone else could speak, "I don't think this is something I would regret." I paused at the stunned looks I was getting again. "I think I can be the one to help her."

Help who? The beautiful, delicate, kind creature they called the Princess of the Moon. Serenity, daughter of Queen Selenity, the most incredible lady I had met up to that point in my life. She seemed so fragile but displayed great strength when the situation called for it, and still managed to be graceful the entire time. Why would I want to marry her after knowing her for only of a few short days? The answer is simple. She needed me now.

Perhaps it would be best if the tale was told more fully to avoid confusion.

My parents and I had arrived on the Moon a little less than a week before. That was when I had met her for the first time; a lively, sweet, spirited girl who captured my interest right away. True, I can't claim that it was love at first sight, but something about her intrigued me. Perhaps it was her naivety, perhaps it was her maturity mixed with childishness, I don't know. She sure was innocent though.

On the Moon, there were almost no men. There was Artemis, one of Queen Selenity's advisors, and a scattering of a few older men in the palace. In the city there were more, of course, but the princess rarely ventured there. She had no need to. For most of her life Serenity almost didn't know what it was like to interact with males. So, when her mother decided that it was time for Serenity to be married and organized a grand ball, you can imagine the Princess' reaction to seeing so many eligible young bachelors coming to the Moon.

I could still remember the first time I laid my eyes on her. She was standing behind her mother, gawking slightly at the entourage my parents insisted on bringing with us. I don't think it was so much the entourage that awed the princess as were all the non-female visitors suddenly flocking around her. The testosterone levels must have been shocking.

She had been wearing a white and gold gown with her hair done up in the oddest hairstyle I had ever seen. Her mother had the same style, only her hair was silver, whereas the princess' was a cascading golden waterfall. When she finally brought her eyes to look at me, she froze. Well, we both froze. Her cerulean eyes mesmerized me, brimming with excitement and shining with curiosity. She gave me the smallest of smiles, and I couldn't help but wink at her. The blush that immediately graced her cheeks nearly made me laugh, as did her saucer-sized eyes. Obviously I was being very 'audacious' to say the least. Winking at a maiden...tsk tsk.

I should leave sarcasm out of this tale since it is very serious in nature. Along with all the princes came one whom I particularly acquired a loathing for. Prince Diamond, a man who refused to leave the young Princess alone. He had a chilling grace about him, one that seemed both beautiful and deadly at the same time. I don't know what it was about him that bothered me so much but I was to find out on the night of the grand ball.

Over the course of the week, I managed to spend moments with the Princess without any of the other suitors around. During those times she was always quiet at first but then sprang to life like a bubbling brook. I grew very fond of the Princess over those few short days. I could see in her eyes that she was fond of me too, although we never discussed the possibility of her choosing me over the others... it was something I didn't dare hope for quite yet. Still, it would come as a very welcomed surprise if she did choose me.

The day of the ball finally arrived and I had developed an even deeper hatred for the Stalking Prince. As obvious as it was that she was fond of me, it was equally obvious that she was not fond of Diamond. She avoided him whenever she could and if she was in a conversation with him she always looked to me with pleading eyes to come and rescue her. I was more than willing to oblige and cut into the conversation to rescue the fair damsel. Perhaps it was this tendency of mine to barge into conversations that made Diamond equally irritated with me as I was with him. The young little Princess missed the glares that Diamond and I exchanged since she was still not used to all the testosterone probably.

The ball was truly a splendid event. Many people were invited and only a handful of us were the suitors, the ones hoping to get Princess Serenity's hand in marriage. Well, eventually anyway.

The evening went by smoothly enough at first. I managed to steal the Princess for more dances than any other man in the room. Perhaps it may have been partially her doing as well though, since she sought me out often for dances. I saw Prince Diamond every so often, always with a wine goblet in his hand. I didn't know how much he drank but, either way, I didn't like it.

The festivities wore on far into the night. Princess Serenity finally excused herself, claiming she was exhausted. I didn't blame her, so much excitement and dancing until three in the morning, it was enough to make anyone fatigued. Only moments after she left, I noticed she had left behind the shawl she had been wearing earlier that night, when it had been still a little cool in the hall. Grabbing it from the chair I went after her. I knew she wouldn't be far.

I walked through the dark hallways, my footsteps echoing on the white marble floors. I rounded a corner and as I walked down it I heard two voices. I stopped walking and to this day I curse myself for not running to the voices rather than stopping in my tracks.

I recognized the first voice as Serenity's and my heart skipped a beat. Was it possible she had charmed me over so quickly? Then came the second voice, this one sending chills up my spine when I recognized it was Diamond.

"Prince Diamond, I am very truly sorry, but my answer is no," I heard her say, her words just barely reaching my ears.

"You cannot deny me," I heard Diamond reply. His voice was choppy and awkward. The next thing I heard was what sounded like a slap, followed by Serenity's clear, high pitched scream. It was a scream that was cut short, as though a hand had been put over her mouth to silence the alarm. I had been able to tell by Diamond's slightly slurred words that he had indulged in his fair share of the wine that night but was he really so intoxicated that he would hit the Princess?

I dropped the shawl and without hesitation sprinted down the corridor. Damn, did those hallways ever carry sound well because it felt like an eternity before I finally reached the end and turned the corner. Around the corner was a veranda, covered in shadows. As I ran, I could hear sounds of struggle; grunts and curses from Diamond, and whimpers mixed with sobs from Serenity.

When I finally turned the corner I was expecting to see Prince Diamond trying to steal a kiss, or worse yet, a feel, either one of which I would have had to hurt him for. I nearly stopped dead in my tracks when I reached the veranda and saw Diamond trying to steal much more than just a kiss or a feel.

I could vaguely hear voices calling Serenity's name from down the hallway I had just come from but my fury and rage blocked them out. Serenity was laying on the ground with Diamond straddling her hips, one of his hands cupped over her mouth while the other was running up her thigh, exposing flesh nearly to the hip. His mouth was latched onto her collarbone as his body pinned her down. Her tiny hands were vainly trying to push him off as she writhed beneath him, trying to get away. The sight of him on her sickened me.

I grabbed his shoulder and threw him off of her, allowing her to scream once more. My fist met with Diamond's jaw as he attempted to get up, causing him to stumble and crash against the wall, thus effectively stunning him. Three of Serenity's Senshi came rushing around the corner as Diamond sank to the ground, rubbing the back of his head gingerly. I knew that the women were warriors and could handle Diamond on their own quite well. Personally, I would have loved to kill the Prince on the spot, but Serenity's whimpers were calling me.

I spun around on my heel and felt a renewed surge of anger towards the Prince. Serenity was kneeling there, trying to cover her exposed breasts with the torn top of her gown with little success. Her skirt was hiked up to her hips, just barely keeping her modest below the waist. Angry red marks and bruises that had just started to form marred the flawless skin on her neck and shoulders and I could have sworn the marks on her breasts looked like the had been made by teeth.

I could hear commotion and the Senshi yelling something at Diamond as I crouched down in front of Serenity, bringing my cape off my shoulders and wrapping it around her petite form. Her hands came up immediately and clutched the material to her body as tears continued to flow down her face.

I reached out to put my hand on her arm and she flinched away from me. "Princess," I murmured gently, "I promise I won't hurt you." As soon as I uttered those words she flung herself at me, burying her face into my shirt. I wrapped my arms around her and stood up to keep us both from tumbling to the ground. I picked her up with me and not for an instant did she let go of my shirt. She sobbed against my chest, her body shivering against my own.

At that moment, something snapped in me. I felt an overwhelming need to protect the woman in my arms, to make sure she was always safe, and to kill anyone who tired to harm her in any way.

"It's all right," I murmured gently as I stroked the back of her head. "I'll protect you now," I whispered fiercely. She kept sobbing into my shirt even as I turned to see how the Senshi had dealt with Diamond. I was pleased to see him in a rather uncomfortable position with Lady Makoto's arm encircling his throat as her other hand pinned his arms to his back and Lady Minako's golden chain wrapped around his body to prevent escape, while Lady Raye's fire arrow pointed directly at his heart.

I turned my head when a new group of people came around the corner. Three more Senshi ran towards Diamond, I could not remember their names, and Queen Selenity rushed over to her daughter and me. She was followed closely by her two advisors, Lord Artemis and Lady Luna.

I felt Serenity lift her head from my chest, though her death grip on my shirt remained. "Mama..." I heard her whisper. Suddenly she went limp in my arms. I quickly scooped her up to keep her from sliding down to the floor and turned to Queen Selenity.

"Where is her room," I demanded, biting my tongue for allowing my words to sound so sharp. They didn't seem to phase the Queen at all as she ran her hand over her daughters forehead. She glanced at the Senshi that had walked up to us, the blue haired Ami.

"Ami, lead Endymion to Serenity's bedroom. I will be there shortly." She saw me glaring at Diamond. "I'll take care of things here and then I'll come as well," she added. I glanced down at her and gave a nod of thanks as Ami began to lead me away. I could hear Queen Selenity issuing orders as I walked away. "I want him taken to his room and locked in there, with a guard set up at his door. He is not to be allowed out of his quarters without my direct permission..." The rest of what she said was lost to me as I brought my attention to the path Ami was leading me down, as well as the woman in my arms.

Diamond was locked up and, after Selenity came to Serenity's room, I explained everything I had seen and heard. I could tell the Queen was very angry but she kept a calm exterior the entire time.

For two days Serenity would not let anyone near her except her mother and closest Senshi. After two days she finally began to make public appearances again but she was a shadow of the lively girl I knew. She shied away from all males, even Artemis and if any man touched her, even by accident, she would scream and start panicking. It tore at my heart to see her so afraid all the time. Even I couldn't get near her. Many of the princes ended up leaving, since they needed to get back to their kingdoms and couldn't wait around for Serenity to regain her senses.

For two weeks she was like this, not allowing any man near her. By the end of the second week Queen Selenity was starting to get very worried and did a scan of her daughter with the Imperium Silver Crystal. My mother, father and I had stayed on the Moon all that time, mainly on my own insistence. She called us for a meeting after she had scanned her daughter so that she could tell us what was wrong.

"Serenity's problem isn't something I can fix," she said. "She is afraid to let any man near her since she fears he will try to take advantage of her again. It's very serious, and her mind isn't allowing her to put her fears to rest." I felt bad for the Queen. "No man is going to want to marry her since she won't let him touch her."

This news was not good of course. The reason Queen Selenity had decided it was time for Serenity to marry was not simply for the sake of getting rid of her daughter, but because Serenity had to marry before her twenty first birthday. It was a requirement in order for her to have her powers grow strong enough to be able to use the Imperium Silver Crystal and she needed to marry by that age for her powers to grow at the pace required. The details were much more complicated and deep but at the time that was all the information we needed.

Queen Selenity rubbed her temple as she gave us the news. "She's going to need a man who will be patient with her and go slower than we can imagine. Her brain has gone into some sort of block. She no longer believes a man can love her and she doesn't believe any man would want to touch her without lustful intentions. If she was treated the same way again, where a man forced himself on her, she would probably go into sever shock and possibly cause great damage." The tired Queen sighed. "No man will want a wife he can't touch for goodness knows how long, and she can't live without one. If she can't use the crystal, she will slowly fade away."

That was when I had made my offer. Serenity needed a man that would be patient with her, who could show her love. I must admit what I felt towards her was more a need to protect her since I didn't know her too well, but I guess in a way it the beginning of love at least.

"Endymion, you can't be serious," my mother gasped out, causing me to wince a little.

"I think he's very serious," my father replied before I could and I shot him a grateful look.

Queen Selenity stared at me, as if she was scrutinizing my soul. "Why?" she asked.

I shrugged my shoulders a little. "I promised her that I would protect her and that I wouldn't hurt her. I can give her the patience she's going to need, and with her married she can start drawing strength for the Imperium Silver Crystal." I glanced around the room. "I know this seems sudden, but I want to help her. I-I care for Princess Serenity, and I intend on keeping my promise of protecting her."

No one protested and my intentions were very clear to everyone.

By the end of the month, Serenity and I were married. Granted, there was no "You may now kiss the bride," since that would have probably killed her on the spot, but at least she agreed to go through with the wedding. I wasn't allowed to make physical contact with her in any way; that was her rule.

I knew she must have had a huge battle. I could see she didn't want to marry me and frankly I didn't blame her. It was so fast, so sudden, but Queen Selenity did make a point that it would be difficult to find another man who would be patient enough with Serenity. Serenity knew her duty to her people and she knew she had to marry before she was twenty one in order for the Crystal to continue to protect her kingdom. So, she accepted my proposal, but firmly let me know I was not to touch her without her permission. I agreed.

The sparkle and life in her eyes was gone and I was determined to get it back. One way or another, I would prove to her that she had nothing to fear from me, and with that allow her to live again.

I didn't know it at the time, but I was in for one heck of a ride. That was how it all began and where this tale is to start. This is the story of my Untouchable Princess.


	2. 1: The Chess Game

**Chapter 1 **

**A Game of Chess**

_So poised, so quiet, so innocent, so breathtaking_...these were the thoughts running through my mind as I stared at my new wife. She was sitting by the window on a cushioned bench, staring at the Earth as we approached it. I knew she had sensed me enter the room, I had, after all, seen how she had tensed up. She didn't acknowledge me though. Either way, I was quite content to just standing there, leaning against the wall, watching her.

I didn't really blame her for being so distant. After all, in the matter of only two weeks she had been nearly raped, engaged and married to a man she hardly knew, and sent away from her home to live on a completely different planet. Somehow, I doubted that those events were in her plans from the start.

The day I had offered to take Serenity's hand in marriage, Queen Selenity had taken me aside to explain a few things to me; this of course after I had convinced her and my parents that I was being quite serious with my offer.

"Do you know why my daughter must be married by the time she is twenty-one?" the Queen had asked me. I knew it had something to do with the Imperium Silver Crystal, but I didn't know the details. "On the night of Serenity's twenty-first birthday," the Queen began to explain, "the Silver Crystal will link itself to her so she can tap into its powers when she is called upon to do so. It's a very complicated process, not on the outside, but the actual binding is very complex. It will use much of her own energy, so much that she could die." When she said those last words, the powerful need to protect the princess welled up in me again.

"Die?" I asked. "What does that have to do with her getting married?"

The Queen sighed. "By getting married, Serenity will form a special bond with her husband. With each Princess or Queen, the bond to her husband is different, but each bond allows the wife to draw energy from her husband. She won't need much, just a little bit extra."

I nodded. "I think I understand. How do the bonds differ though?" In all honesty, I _didn't_ understand, not completely anyway. I wanted to know how we would be bonded, what the limits of that bond were, and a dozen other questions. I would have to wait to ask them all.

A gentle smile graced Queen Selenity's face. "The bond always forms a special connection between the husband and wife. With Serenity's grandparents, they could see through each others eyes when they wanted to." She must have noticed my perplexed look since she continued with her explanation. "What I mean is that, for example, if he was on the earth looking at a rose and she chose to see through his eyes, it would be as though she was looking at that rose as well. She would see what he was seeing in her minds eye."

"I see," I replied, genuinely intrigued now. "But you said that the bond varies."

"Yes," she said, "I could not see through my husbands eyes, nor he through mine but we could feel each others emotions. It was a bit strange I'll admit but it did serve to draw us closer together. If he was angry, I could feel his anger and try to sooth it. If I was sad, he knew right away and would try to cheer me up. If we were happy then we could feel each others happiness and we were content. It was a pleasant bond to share."

I nodded again, quite fascinated. Now at least I knew why Serenity had to be married so soon and I was all the more happy to offer myself to be joined with her. To say I wasn't at least a little nervous and hesitant would be a lie. I didn't know her very well at all and I was quite sure she wouldn't be thrilled with a man just claiming her as I did without courting her and asking her first. I was, of course, planning on asking her if she would be willing to have me but first I wanted the Queen's approval. I was determined to be patient with the princess, to slowly break down the walls she had constructed around herself, and to help her put that night with Diamond behind her. She would probably never forget, but perhaps I could ease the pain.

One thing that I hoped for was that I would learn to love her, as well as have her love me. As I had mentioned before, I was quite certain that Serenity was fond of me, as I was of her, but love...we were still very far away from that. We hardly knew each other.

I watched as she touched the glass gently with her fingertips, staring at the blue and green planet. Deciding that I didn't want to be just a bystander in her life at the moment, I opted to go and sit down next to her. As soon as I sat down she scooted another three inches or so away from me. I pretended not to notice. She seemed a little embarrassed each time I caught her moving away from me, so I tried to make sure she didn't notice when I did.

"Are you excited at all?" I asked her as she drew her hand from the window back to her lap.

"A little I suppose," she replied, not taking her eyes from the window. "I haven't been there yet, so I'm curious to see what it's like."

I smiled, looking forward to showing her all the wonders the Earth had to provide. "It will be your home now, so if you need or want anything, don't hesitate to ask." I spoke with her gently, wanting her to be comfortable. Anything to make her feel at ease.

She finally tore her gaze from the window and looked up at me. "Thank you," she said quietly. I couldn't help but smile. During the few short days before our wedding she had only spoken to me to lay down some rules for our marriage. On the day of our wedding she hadn't so much as glanced at me and the days that followed weren't much better. It wasn't until today that she had actually spoken to me from want, not from necessity.

Her rules had been plain and simple. "Don't touch me." That was pretty much it. All right, I must admit they were laid out a bit more eloquently but that was the general idea. She requested that I had no physical contact with her until she allowed me to and that if she was to go with me to the Earth, I was to ensure no other man would touch her either. Again, she seemed a little embarrassed with her request and I couldn't really understand why. Both wishes I was willing to comply with, since I knew she was still scared. Considering the circumstances, I felt guilty for somewhat feeling happy that she wanted no other man touching her but the price of not touching her myself was a high one to pay.

As I sat there on the bench smiling at her, I gave a small tug on our heart string, hoping to make her smile too. The corners of her mouth twitched ever so slightly but before that twitch could give birth to a smile, she returned her gaze to the window.

I sighed and looked out too. Perhaps I should explain the heart string.

When Serenity and I had been wed, we had formed the bond that Queen Selenity had told me about. Our 'special link' was fascinating to me. Our hearts were connected by a thin, almost invisible, golden thread. Not a real thread of course, but a string that only she and I could see. It glimmered as though the sun were hitting a thread of gold but it was so faint we had to focus to see it. The benefits of this thread were that, no matter where we were, we could find each other by following that thread. I thought this was rather useful since it would make it easier to protect Serenity if the need arose.

We had discovered soon that we could give little mental tugs on the thread to get the others attention. I was the one who had discovered this actually, since I had been so determined to get Serenity to look at me on the day of and following our wedding. Her eyes had grown wide as dish plates as her heart skipped a beat when I gave the first tug, and her eyes had snapped in my direction. I was rather surprised myself, but pleased that I could get her attention in such a subtle way.

Queen Selenity said that with time we could probably find more uses for that string but for now the connection was enough. Each tug made my heart leap into my throat, the feeling that you get when you see someone you love for the first time in a very long time and you get butterflies in your stomach. It wasn't love I was feeling when she gave a tug, but it was the same kind of feeling.

I needed to unglue her from the window. "Does the Lady care for chess?" I asked, hopeful that she would say yes.

She turned her eyes to me again and this time she didn't hide the small smile that had taken over her features. "Yes," she breathed, "I adore the game." At least I had found a common interest. Now I would be able to at least share an activity with her and perhaps spark a conversation.

"Would you honour me with a game then?" I asked as I stood from the bench. I went to hold my hand out so I could help her stand but caught myself at the last moment. She wouldn't take it if I had made the offert and she would have probably been hurt that I had tried to touch her so soon. Instead, I went to start setting up the chess table. She followed slowly and after we were comfortably seated and the table was set, our game began.

She was good, I had to give her credit. I started out by going easy on her but soon I found out that she didn't need my aid.

"What else do you like to do?" I inquired, wanting to get a little more insight on her.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I like many things. Dancing, gardens, horse back riding, skating..." she let her words trail off as she moved her bishop dangerously close to my queen. "You?" she asked once her move was done.

"Reading," I replied, "I love learning. I don't think you could give me enough information. I am intrigued about the physics of the universe, and I study a lot. I enjoy doing things outdoors too though, horses for one, and many other activities." I paused. "Oh, and chess of course." I moved my Queen out of harms way. Ironic, no?

She smiled as she stared at the board. "When people ask me what I like I usually can't think of anything." She glanced up at me as she reached for her rook. "Check."

I chuckled and went to move my king. "I hope to learn everything about you, Serenity." I had used her name only a handful of times, and I could see that it pleased her when I did. It was much less formal than "Princess" or "my Lady."

"I hope to learn about you too, Endymion," she murmured as she moved her second knight.

"You may not like what you learn," I replied teasingly, picking up my bishop. "Check."

She frowned as she gazed at the board. "I'll tell you now that I don't like losing," she said.

"Neither do I," I replied.

She grinned. "Too bad," she picked up her pawn. "Checkmate."

She had won. How had she managed to win, I had been paying attention...somewhat. "You're good," I said, recovering from the shock that the game was already over.

She smiled, her eyes shining. "Again?" she asked, her voice eager and light. I couldn't very well say no to her request. If this was one way I could get her to start feeling at ease with me, then we would be playing chess every waking minute of each day for however long it took for her to trust me.

"Again," I confirmed as we began setting up the chess board. The second game was long and intense with neither one of us talking much but finally I managed to corner her king with a rook and bishop."Checkmate."

She pouted as she toppled her king over. "That was a good game," she said, then smiled. "Once more." I chuckled as we began setting to board up again. Yes, we would definitely be playing this more often.

As we picked out our pieces, I felt my fingertips come in contact with skin. They just slightly brushed against the back of her hand and I knew it meant trouble. She gave a sudden yelp and drew her hand to her body, cradling it as if it had just been scalded. Well, I hadn't anticipated such a strong reaction.

"I-I'm so sorry," I said, holding my hands in the air defensively. She stared at me, a hurt expression on her face. I hadn't meant to touch her, really I hadn't. I didn't even realize that our hands had been so close.

Even though she nodded her head in acceptance of my apology, she was very quiet for the rest of the game, her eyes refusing to come up and meet mine. Once the game was over, with her losing quite rapidly, she stood from her chair.

"I think I'll go and find Luna and go to bed now. I'll see you in the morning, Prince." Her voice had taken on it's formal tone again and all I could do was nod. I watched her leave the room, her gown swishing around her ankles as she walked. She and I had separate rooms on board the ship. It would take only a day and a half to reach the earth. We had left the Moon late in the morning, and would arrive on the Earth early in the afternoon. Once there, we would have separate quarters once again. It was something that I found so peculiar, having a wife and not sharing a room with her but it wasn't more peculiar than anything else in this marriage.

I raked my hand through my hair, silently cursing myself for my slip up. I really hadn't meant to touch her. Even though I knew she didn't want to be touched, it still hurt a little to have her react in such a way. That look in her eyes, it had been as though I had struck her or hurt her in some way, a look that spoke of betrayal and deceit on my part. I had to accept it for now though.

This was going to be harder than I thought.

_Disclaimer_

_I do not own the rights to Sailor Moon or any of the characters. That honour belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, and I am simply a lowly author who can use her characters for my plots._


	3. 2: You're Not Alone

**Chapter 2**

**You're Not Alone**

"My Lady," Motoki declared as he gave Serenity a deep bow, "it is an honor to be able to greet your Grace on this humble planet."

I watched as Serenity curtsied, all the while keeping her eyes glued to Motoki. "I thank you for your kind greeting," she replied gently. Even though she looked calm I could hear the heightened pitch of her voice and see her signs of discomfort. Had I really known her for only a few short weeks? It didn't seem like it, since I could read her every motion, every look, every tone of her voice...it almost scared me.

"I trust that the planet did not fall apart while we were gone," my father said from beside me.

Motoki took his gaze off Serenity and looked at father. "Everything is well, your Majesty. There were a few letters that arrived that will need your attention as soon as possible but otherwise there is nothing serious to report."

"It's nice to see that you can keep things running smoothly, Motoki," mother said with a smile as she took her place beside father, looping her arm through his. My fathers hand immediately went to cover hers, which was now resting on his forearm. I couldn't help but smile. She loved my father deeply, and he loved her in return. She loved Motoki too, that was something I knew and was very grateful for. Even though he had not been born a Prince, mother had more or less adopted him when he was very young. He had been like a brother to me over the years. Our relationship was strong, and I knew I could trust Motoki with anything.

"There is an informal lunch that has been prepared to take place in about two hours, to introduce the Princess to the intimate court of the castle, and tomorrow night a ball has been organized as a welcome from the whole court, to act as in introduction for Princess Serenity into society here on Earth." Motoki looked back at Serenity as he said this.

"Thank you, Motoki," father said, clearly pleased that things were taken care of as per his instructions that he and I had sent before coming home. Father turned his gaze to mother. "Come now, my dear, we should go freshen up before I have to go and see to these letters." He turned to me then. "Endymion, can you manage things on your own until lunch, can't you?"

I nodded, grinning. "I believe so."

"Good, we will see you at lunch. Serenity, Endymion, Motoki, until later," he said as he gave a bow of his head. He then led my mother to the doors leading into the palace, followed by a few guards and what seemed like an entire flock of twittering ladies.

I turned to look at Serenity. She was toying nervously with the wedding band on her finger as she kept staring at Motoki, who was watching my parents leave. I was suddenly very grateful for the private dock we had at the palace, since it meant that we had arrived without anyone noticing and without Serenity having to go through the experience of being greeted by all the people of the city.

"Would your highness like to go to her room to freshen up as well before lunch?" Motoki asked as he smiled warmly at my wife.

"Yes, thank you," Serenity said quietly and dropped her hands, putting a halt to her fidgeting. She looked at me as though making sure it was ok she had said yes and I smiled as I gestured to the doors. I was tempted to offer her my arm as we started to follow Motoki towards the doors my parents had used as their exit only minutes before, but once again I resisted the urge. I was starting to get good at fighting all the etiquettes and protocols that had been hammered into my head over the years.

I was pleased to see that the guards that followed us kept a suitable distance from Serenity, as did Motoki. Luna had emerged from the ship as well and followed us. I was always tempted to call her a chaperon but that was not the correct term anymore. Still, I was glad to see she had someone she was comfortable with and who would keep an eye on her. I would have to find a way to gain Luna's trust so that she could help me slowly break down Serenity's barriers.

As we strolled down the halls, Serenity kept gazing at the paintings and tapestries that clothed the walls. I could see her delight in some of the works and that pleased me. "That is Queen Astrud," I commented as her step faltered by a particular painting. She topped walking and looked at me, as though my words had startled her. I stopped next to her.

"I beg your pardon?" she asked, blinking in surprise.

Everyone else came to a halt as well and now they watched as we had our small discussion. I didn't care. I couldn't help but smile at her innocent perplexion. "I said that's Queen Astrud," I repeated as her face lost its surprised look. "She is my great grandmother. She was a good, wise ruler, and the people loved her."

"I love the painting," Serenity stated as she looked back at the portrait. I had to agree with her. "The artist did a remarkable job."

"He did," I replied. "Astrud ruled for twenty eight years, sixteen before the death of her husband and twelve after his death." I wanted her to know everything about the planet. I had a deep-rooted pride of the Earth and it's history, and I wanted to share as much of it as possible with Serenity, since that history was a part of me. Perhaps if she understood me, she would not fear me so.

Serenity looked back at me, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Yes," she said, "That is a long ruling period." She moved as though she was about to start walking, then stopped and cast another glance at the painting. "It does not, however, compare to the thirty six years of her daughter, Amalie, and daughter's husband, Maras de Nuit, who spent the whole thirty six years together before perishing in a ship wreck. Granted, your grandmother and grandfather had a long rule, but Astrud's father, King Octavian II, was on the throne even longer, almost forty two years. His wife outlived him by a couple of years, but she didn't keep the crown after the death of her husband, instead opting to hand it to Astrud's brother, Lionel, who passed away after only five years on the throne." She paused and looked at me, noting that my mouth was hanging open slightly and that now I was the one who had the shocked look on my face. She took a few steps, stopped, turned around, and looked at me with a smile. "He passed away from a fever. Or am I wrong?"

I think that everyone around us had a hard time to keep from laughing. Motoki looked like he was holding his breath and counting backwards from one hundred, Luna seemed intensely interested in the hem of her skirt, and the three guards that had followed us had white knuckles from gripping their sword hilts so hard.

Finally, I was the one who broke first. Laughter bubbled forth from me as I took my place at Serenity's side and we began walking again. "I see that I have no need to tell you about the history of my people. It was silly of me to think your education on the Moon didn't provide you with a history on the other planets."

My laughter seemed to break down everyone else's barriers and the whole group started to laugh, chuckle, or simply smirk. "It looks like Princess Serenity knows her history better than you do, Endymion," Motoki said as he laughed.

Luna hid her smile behind her hand. "It's the only planet I could ever get her to listen to me about," she muttered with a chuckle.

I noticed Serenity roll her eyes as she grinned. "It was the only interesting one," she replied.

I chuckled. Secretly, it pleased me that Serenity had an interest in the history of the Earth, and that she seemed to know it quite well already.

Serenity looked at me as we walked. "I do know a lot but there is more I don't know. I am really fascinated with your people, and I want to learn more, if I can."

"You may do anything you want, Serenity," I assured her, happy to see her smile once again.

We reached a grouping of doors at the end of one of the hallways that snaked through the palace. After dismissing the guards, I turned to Serenity, who was once again toying nervously with her wedding band, her smile completely gone. I frowned at this, disappointed that she felt uneasy already. However, I quickly removed the frown so she would not think I was upset with her. "That is your room," I said, gesturing towards one of the doors. "And that room there is mine." The two doors were right next to each other, just as I had instructed. "That room will be Lady Luna's," I continued, motioning to the door on the other side of Serenity's. "That way she will be close to you whenever you need her. That door is Motoki's."

I personally loved this particular wing of the castle. One side of the hall was all windows, and it seemed almost like the entire wall was made of glass, glass which ended when the wall reached the perimeter of my room. Outside of the glass was a private balcony which overlooked the gardens. It was a spectacular view at night time. Opposite the windows were the doors to the various rooms, except my door which was perpendicular to the others.

Serenity looked at her door, glanced at mine, and then looked back to her own. "Thank you for providing me with my own private room." There was relief in her voice, and I would be lying if I said it didn't sting a little.

"Your things have already been brought up, your grace. If you would like to relax a while from your journey before lunch, we will leave you in peace." I felt like elbowing Motoki as he said this since I had been hoping to take Serenity on a tour of the castle but the fact that she was already nodding to Motoki's suggestion made me rethink any objections I had.

"We'll come and get you shortly before lunch," I said and then gestured towards my door. "We'll most likely be in there if you need anything."

Serenity nodded, after which Motoki opened the door and allowed the two ladies to enter the spacious living quarters. Luna shut the door behind them, leaving Motoki and me standing in the hallway alone. I looked at Motoki and jerked my head at my room, motioning for him to follow me. I knew he would have many questions for me, as well as many accusations, jokes, and comments.

As soon as the door to my room shut, I walked over to the table on the veranda and sat down, enjoying the view of the gardens. A flagon of some liquid sat on the table, which Motoki poured into two goblets before taking a seat as well.

"Well?" he began, handing me the cool drink.

I took a sip from the goblet. "Well what?" I looked at Motoki with an amused expression on my face. I could see it in his eyes, a flood of words waiting to spill out.

"Well what? Aren't you going to tell me exactly what happened? You leave the Earth hoping to find a woman who you can _begin _courtship with and then I receive a letter from you saying that not only did you find her, but you're already married to her and one your way home. I'm surprised you didn't arrive with children and maybe a grandchild or two in tow."

I couldn't help but smile. I guess that was true, that is what had happened. "I explained much of what happened in the letter," I said calmly, enjoying watching Motoki squirm.

"You were fast and vague in your letter, Endymion. I know that Diamond had something to do with it and that the Princess is now scared of any male contact but now you need to explain everything to me."

"Diamond tried to rape Serenity, that's what happened," I stated bluntly, the smile sliding from my face. "I came by just when he was trying to do so fortunately, so I was able to stop him but he had gone far enough to emotionally scar Serenity."

"He tired to rape her?" Motoki asked, his voice unbelieving. "What was he thinking?"

"He got into the wine a little too much but that's still not an excuse for what he did. He's still on the Moon right now. Queen Selenity is not allowing him to leave yet, not until she deals with him properly. He is confined to his chambers and I doubt that the Queen is going to go easy on him. He really scared Serenity."

"So why did you marry her so suddenly?"

"Serenity needs to be married by the time she turns twenty one but it would be hard for her to find a husband that would not try to force himself on her. No, not force, that'ss the wrong word, but rather one who would be patient with her."

"And _you_ are just the man to be patient with her, correct?" Motoki grinned slyly.

"Of course," I answered. "She needs me, whether she knows it or not. I don't know why, but I need to protect her, Motoki. I have to protect her, from her fears, from those who wish to harm her, from myself even. That's why I know I can do this."

Motoki nodded, a thoughtful look filtering across his face. "You've taken on quite a challenge. I could see the way she was looking at me, as though I was going to jump out and bite her at any moment and how she refused to touch even you when we were walking here. She really fears you, doesn't she?"

I nodded slowly, his words painful to me. "Yes," I said quietly. "She does." We were quiet for a few moments and then Motoki smiled.

"I think you'll do it," he said cheerfully. "Even though she fears your touch, you can see that she likes you and that you get along fairly well. That was rather obvious earlier when we stopped at Queen Astrud's painting." I smiled, glad that he had said that. It made me feel a little better, knowing that someone else had seen that she liked me at least a little.

"I only hope that it becomes more and more apparent," I replied.

"Do you love her?" Motoki suddenly asked.

The question took me back a little, since it was a question that I had been mulling over in my mind since I rescued Serenity from Diamond. Did I love her? No. Not love in a romantic sense that is. I knew that now, after many hours of contemplation on the trip to earth. In a way I felt guilty about it, since I had more or less forced Serenity into a loveless marriage. I was confident that I could grow to love her though. I just didn't know her.

"You don't have to answer," Motoki offered gently, reading all my emotions through my eyes probably. I nodded my head and returned my gaze to the gardens. "I guess we have a big job ahead of us," Motoki added.

I glanced back at him. "We?"

Motoki smiled and looked out into the gardens as well. "Yes, we. I'm sure that Lady Luna will be more than happy to assist us as well. I have met her before when she and Lord Artemis came to earth as ambassadors, and she loves her mistress dearly. She wants her to be happy, and making her happy will mean helping you. And I certainly hope you didn't think that I'd keep my fingers out of this. So yes, we. You're not alone."

I smiled and looked out too. Things seemed like they had just became easier all of a sudden.


	4. 3: Lunch Time Mishaps

**Chapter 3 **

**Lunch Time Mishaps**

"How do you eat this?" The way Serenity asked me this question, with her napkin covering her mouth discreetly and her eyes cast down at her plate with a wide, perplexed look, nearly caused me to laugh right there in front of all the lords and ladies present. The comedy of the situation was unknown to everyone else in the dining room so I couldn't embarrass her by letting my need for laughter get the better of me.

"The way you would eat anything else," I murmured softly and watched as she picked up her fork and hesitantly poked at the garnish along the side of the plate. This time I couldn't help but chuckle. "Except for that. That's just garnish."

"Oh," she whispered and went on to something else with her fork. She picked up and placed it daintily in her mouth and chewed. "Mmmm," she said appreciatively. "This is good." Then she leaned over ever so slightly towards me and whispered, "what is it?"

I smirked. "Do you really want to know?"

She stiffened and stopped chewing. "Maybe not," she replied quickly as soon as she swallowed. "At least not for now." We smiled at each other and continued eating. It actually wasn't anything bad, just duck, but clearly it was something that they didn't enjoy on the Moon.

I looked out over the people around the long table. They were the residence of the castle, lords, ladies, chamberlains, most of whom had been given or rented rooms so that they could be close to court. Many of them owned homes in the city and elsewhere but some of them didn't.

My gaze locked with a pair of intense green eyes. I nearly choked. I had completely forgotten about her.

Who is 'her'? 'Her' is Lady Anne, one of the ladies of court, daughter of one of the richest families in the city. She and her brother, Alan, had chambers in the castle as well as a home in the city. I knew she had her heart set on me, although I wasn't sure if was on me or the titles and riches that came along with me. At this moment she had a look in her eyes that accused me of betraying her, despite the fact that she and I had never courted and I had never given any positive responses to her advances.

I looked away from her and continued my visual trek around the room. Finally I came back to the gentle creature next to me and I couldn't resist but give a gentle tug on our heart string. Serenity took in a sharp breath and her eyes widened slightly. My own heart was now beating frantically in my chest, and again a smile tugged at my lips. She looked at me and blinked rapidly. I couldn't tell if she was angry or not. Then she smiled, returned her gaze to her plate, and continued eating.

Lunch ended eventually and after a few speeches from a few of the Lords and Chamberlains welcoming the Princess to the Earth and each describing how they hoped she would be happy here and have a long prosperous life, etc, etc, it was decided that whoever wished to would go for a walk in the gardens. I knew that everyone would come. No one would miss the opportunity to speak with the royal family and hopefully find more favor in my mother and father's eyes.

I led Serenity to the gardens along with Motoki and Luna. Mother and father were strolling with their Head Chancellor, discussing gossip that they missed while on the Moon. Various small groups hovered everywhere, hoping to get the chance to join in on a conversation with mother and father or Serenity and me. Fortunately Motoki was babbling on about the gardens and the various flowers that resided there and kept us walking so there was really no opportunity for someone to approach us.

Serenity had a wide-eyes curiosity that I found adorable. The gardens of the Moon were beautiful but there weren't very many colors. Here, though, Serenity was being introduced to a pallet of vibrant and striking hues, complimentary shades swirling around her, creating a soothing and refreshing atmosphere.

"How many types of flowers are there?" she asked when Motoki paused to catch his breath.

"Hundreds," I told her, deciding to give Motoki's tongue a rest. "In your whole life you will probably not be able to name them all."

"They're beautiful," Serenity breathed out. "They smell so wonderful too."

I nodded. "I will have to take you through here sometime just to show you the sweetest smelling ones," I offered and was rewarded with a smile. There was a moment where none of us said anything and just soaked in the beauty of the surroundings. Serenity was right about the smell. We were just passing by some beds of tiger lilies and their odor really _was_ overpowering.

"Prince Endymion," a voice from behind us cooed, causing us to stop and turn around. I sighed inwardly when I saw Anne and Lady Naru heading towards us. "It's wonderful to see your Grace again."

Motoki cleared his throat as the two reached us. "Princess Serenity, please allow me to introduce Lady Anne and Lady Naru. Both of them reside here in the castle. Ladies, her royal highness Princess Serenity." Both Anne and Naru curtsied, although Anne's was a bit faster than it should have been.

"You're Grace, it's really nice to finally be able to make your acquaintance," Naru said cheerful as she rose from her deep curtsy. She was a very kind girl and I knew she was very good friends with Motoki, although he denied there being anything between them other than friendship.

"Your Highness, welcome to the Earth," Anne said with a sweet voice. It dripped with sugar and honey, so artificially sweet it nearly made me gag. What was wrong with her, usually she was at least _normal_.

Serenity curtsied in return. "Thank you for your kind welcome," she replied. "I'm in love with your planet already."

"Oh, you're going to love it here," Naru chirped. "It's so beautiful all year round. Even in the winter." We began walking again. Naru was chattering with Serenity and Anne fell into step beside me. I found myself separated from Serenity by Naru, with Motoki on the other side of Serenity along with Luna. It wasn't a scenario which I particularly liked since it left Anne on the other side of me and I wasn't in the frame of mind to begin a conversation with her.

"I assume you had a nice trip, Endymion?" Anne asked quietly.

I clenched my jaw momentarily before answering. "Yes, it was. The Moon has many wonders that I never knew of," I replied, casting a glance toward Serenity, a glance which Anne failed to catch.

"Everything must have been a tad dull there, no? There is no color on the moon, everything is so...monotone." I didn't miss how Anne had stressed the word '_everything_.'

"No, actually. The beauty there doesn't depend on the vibrance and spice of color. Everything has a simple, clean beauty to it, a tranquil and serene air. It reminded me of a clean, crisp winters day, where everything is beautiful even though it is covered in a blanket of white, colorless snow."

"Hmm, yes, I suppose that one could handle such beauty for a while but then one does start to desire the other seasons to put a bit of excitement back in life. Who doesn't enjoy the warmth of the sun after a long, harsh winter."

"It all depends on how you look at it, Lady Anne. The Moon is anything but harsh."

"Please, I have told you before, you need not call me 'Lady' Anne. Just Anne will do." I mentally growled at her, but said nothing in response. "Well," she continued when she saw I was saying nothing. "You did manage to find a lovely wife there. She really is a sweet little thing."

Her words were kind but her tone did not convey the same feeling. Still, I would play along with her game of gallantry. "Yes, she really is a beautiful creature. Very kind, too, and talented."

"Yes, she does look like she could be too kind for her own good."

"You can never be too kind, Lady Anne," I replied. She frowned at the formal acknowledgment but did not dare contradict me a second time.

"I don't mean that she is too kind, do not think that my Lord. Rather, what I mean is that she is kind to the point where people could take _advantage_ of her. She doesn't seem like the kind of girl to give no for an answer."

The double meaning not missed, I shook my head. "Oh no, you are mistaken in that. She has great fire in her when she needs it and she can most definitely say no when she wants to."

Anne was about to reply but Naru cut in. "Anne, we have to go and show Princess Serenity the Ladies' Garden. You have to admit it's the most beautiful garden on the planet."

I looked at Serenity who looked at me pleadingly. "Do you mind?" she asked.

"Go," I said cheerfully. The Ladies Garden was a place I didn't mind her going without me, since it was just that; a ladies garden. Mother had set it up years before as an escape for ladies from their men, just so that they could go and gossip amongst themselves; not that they would ever admit that they were gossiping.

Naru took Serenity by the arm and started to lead her away from Motoki and me. Anne took Serenity's other arm and Luna followed behind. All three woman chattered as they walked and I was happy to see that Anne was being civil with Serenity at least, even a little friendly. Perhaps things wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Well, so far so good," Motoki said, taking my attention from Serenity.

"Yes, so far. I'm worried that it's only a matter of when a man happens to accidently touch her, not if."

Motoki nodded. "I know what you mean, it's a difficult thing to guess at. I just hope that by that time she'll be a little more comfortable with you so she can turn to you for comfort."

I grinned. "That would be nice." I glanced back down the path where Naru, Anne, Luna and Serenity had disappeared. They were out of sight and all I could do was sigh as I looked back at Motoki. "So, how big is this ball tomorrow night supposed to be?"

Motoki shrugged his shoulders. "Not too big. I made sure that the hall wouldn't be filled to capacity since that would probably kill the Princess if she just looked in. I suggest that the two of you get there early and sit with your parents so that the hall will fill gradually and then it won't be such a big shock as if you came and there was already a large crowd."

"Good idea," I replied. "I'll make sure she's ready in time." As soon as I said those words I felt a tug on my heart. It was soft but it sent my heart slamming against my ribs. Suddenly there came another tug, this one more urgent. The thread glimmered in the air and I suddenly got a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I started jogging down the path where Serenity had gone, following our thread.

"Endymion, wait, where are you going?" Motoki called out as he began to run after me.

"Serenity needs me," I barked over my shoulder and picked up my pace. The tugs got more and more demanding and then the string went taught and glowed bright. I started to sprint and the next corner I rounded brought with it a sight that filled me with dread. Serenity was crouched on the ground, crying hysterically, with Luna kneeling next to her holding her in her arms. Naru was trying to comfort her and Anna crouching next to her as well using one hand to balance herself and the other to motion for her brother to stand back. Anne's eyes darted to me when she saw me approaching. I could see what looked like genuine fear in them but I didn't have time to deal with her at the moment. Serenity needed me.

I crouched down next to Luna who was holding the sobbing Serenity to her chest. "What happened?" I asked quickly, trying to talk over Serenity's sobs.

"I don't know," Naru cried out without giving Luna a chance to explain anything to me. "We were walking and met up with Lord Alan and started talking to him and when we introduced him to Princess Serenity she just broke down and started crying!" I felt bad for the girl, she probably hadn't noticed a faint brush of a hand, a light touch, something that would set Serenity off.

"Lord Alan tried to kiss Serenity's hand," Luna murmured as she rubbed Serenity's back.

"My Lord, I swear, I did nothing to harm your Lady," Alan said hurriedly.

I waved his comment aside for the time being. "We will discuss this later, Lord Allan, the fault is not yours probably." At least that managed to silence both him and Naru. I looked at Luna who was staring at me helplessly. With a sigh I wrapped my arms around Serenity, hoping that the action would not cause her hysteria to rise. Surprisingly, it didn't. I scooped her up and she buried her face in my chest, still sobbing. Luna stood up too, as did Naru and Anne.

"Motoki, please explain things to Lord Alan since I hope to god he has a good excuse, then report to me in Serenity's room," I ordered before starting a fast paced walk towards the castle. "Luna, follow me," I called and she followed quite willingly. I was glad to be on my own land now since I knew all the shortcuts and doorways in the palace. I managed to lead us to Serenity's room and all the while be only seen by a few servants and guards, whom I knew had all been informed of Serenity's condition. They moved out of the way and allowed us quick passage. I ordered one maid to bring some wine, water and food up to Serenity's room, but that was all I did until we reached her door.

Luna opened the door for me and I quickly lay Serenity on the bed. She still clung to my shoulders which made it almost impossible for me to let go. "Serenity, please, you have to let go," I murmured gently in her ear, which didn't seem to work. I gave a sharp tug on the thread which finally caused her to snap out of her trance. Her sobbing stopped and she snapped her head away from my chest and stared up at me. Her tear streaked face and disheveled hair was almost comical but the look in her eyes was anything but funny. Through those blue orbs flashed fear and pain, confusion and disbelief. She let go of my shoulders and pushed me away, causing me to stumble backwards a little and her to fall onto her bed.

"I told you not to touch me, you promised!" she shrieked, obviously oblivious to the fact I had carried her all the way to her room.

I regained my footing and shot her an apologetic look. "Serenity, I'm sorry, but-"

"No! You promised!" she screamed and hurled a pillow at me, one which I managed to catch quite easily.

"Serenity, please," I tried to calm her before she found other, more painful, objects to hurtle at me. "It's not what you think!"

"Get out!" she cried, "Get out now!"

"Go," Luna whispered urgently, "I'll explain things to her!"

Not knowing what else to do, I did as Luna instructed and quickly took my leave. Once in the sanctuary of the hallway I let out a shaky breath. I wanted to kill Alan at that moment, although I knew he probably had not know about Serenity's tactophobia. He should have but he could have been abroad when Motoki was giving instructions to everyone about Serenity's arrival. Still, I wanted to murder the bloody bastard.I took in another slow, shaky breath. No, he wasn't that, but at the moment it sure felt like it.

I strolled to my room slowly and once inside I went onto the balcony. The gentle breeze cooled my face as I leaned against the marble railing, wondering what I could do to ease her anger. She _was _angry at me, she had made that very clear. I only hoped that Luna would be able to reason with her.

I raked my fingers through my hair. "Is she all right?" a voice from behind me asked me.

"Luna is speaking with her," I said to Motoki as he leaned on the railing next to me. "Did you explain everything to them?"

"Yes. Alan wishes to express his apologies to both you and the Princess himself. He just arrived back home a few hours ago from a trip overseas. Lady Anne told me to send her apologies for her brother and Naru instructed that I send word as soon as Princess Serenity will accept visits." Motoki slumped his head down.

I smiled a little. Perhaps Naru would prove to be a new friend for Serenity. "Thank you, Motoki."

"No problem." He looked at me with the eyes of a man who just realized the task I had before me. Now he had seen first hand just how untouchable my princess was and now he understood why it would be so hard to protect her. So what would happen next? I would go and see Serenity, just as soon as she had calmed down and was not out to assassinate me.

_Disclaimer_

_I do not own the rights to Sailor Moon or any of the characters. That honour belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, and I am simply a lowly author who can use her characters for my plots._


	5. 4: The Chess Game II

**PLEASE READ**

_A/N: First off I would like to address an issue raised by two of my reviewers (both on One of them put it nicely, the other not so nicely, and it was the second anonymous reviewer that prompted me to give this argument. Anonymous Reviewer (AR) was upset at how Serenity was acting. I'm not completely sure if they were upset with Serenity or upset with me for portraying her the way I did. At first they said they were ticked off at her, then said things were taken too far. _

_I would like to point out that the fear of being touched, otherwise known as Haphephobia (found between Hamartophobia, fear of sinning, and Harpaxophobia, fear of being robbed) is a real mental condition. In various medical dictionaries, it is defined as "a morbid fear of being touched." The symptoms of Haphephobia are "breathlessness, dizziness, excessive sweating, nausea, dry mouth, feeling sick, shaking, heart palpitations, inability to speak or think clearly, a fear of dying, becoming mad or losing control, a sensation of detachment from reality or a full blown anxiety attack." Therefore, I don't feel that I am being unrealistic in Serenity's character, since the level of intensity of symptoms varies from person to person who are affected by Haphephobia. So in conclusion, please do a little research before you rant at an author about what they are writing, or politely ask them to explain thier own reasoning or research. Thank you to person number one who was polite, and hopefully AR came back for chapter 4 and the situation was explained to him/her._

_Thank you for your patience, and now I give you chapter 4. _

_Anja._

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Chapter 4

The Chess Game II

The clock on my mantle ticked mercilessly, filling the quiet of my room with an echoing, monotonous clamor. All right, that was perhaps an exaggeration, but it didn't feel like one. It was nearly 9 p.m., and I had not yet gathered the courage to go and see Serenity. Granted, I had told Luna to inform Serenity to expect me at about quarter after nine, but I should have gone sooner.

I sat in front of the fire place in the padded chair, staring at the ornate chess table in front of me. The glow of the fire was the only thing illuminating the pieces. I fingered my king and picked him up, running my thumb up the smooth back of black onyx. I turned the figure over so it was facing me and studied the battle-worn features. This King had survived and lost many battles, warred against the same nation over and over again. He had watched the army of alabaster stone advancing towards him, sometimes with an intimidating ferocity, sometimes with a laughable determination.

A knock on the door made me jump in my chair, and I nearly dropped the playing piece. I placed him back on the board and went to open the door. I ran my fingers through my hair to smooth out the black locks and quickly tugged at my shirt to take out any rumples. I hoped that it was only Luna or Motoki, since my loose white shirt and black pants were no way to greet anyone else.

Of course, when I opened the door, there was no Luna or Motoki, but rather my wife. Serenity stood there, toying with her wedding band once again, looking rather uncomfortable and scared. She had a plain dress on, with a shawl wrapped around her shoulders. I smiled at her. "I was going to come to you," I said.

She nodded sullenly. "I know, but I thought that it was me who should be apologizing, so I came to you." She glanced into the room behind me. Taking the subtle hint, I stepped aside and held the door open for her, gesturing for her to come in. She hesitated, but then entered the room. I closed the door and offered her a chair next to the fire, in front of the chess table, and then I took my seat again.

"Would you like anything to drink? Some wine, or water?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No thank you, I'm fine right now." She chewed on her bottom lip and stared at the chess board.

"Did dinner get delivered to your room?" I inquired.

"Yes, it was good, although I wasn't sure what it was again."

I smiled. "You're going to be introduced to a lot of new food here."

"Yes," she agreed, then paused. "Endymion, I am really very sorry."

I tilted my head to the side a bit. "You don't need to apologize." Even though she didn't need to, it still felt nice hearing those words from her lips.

"Yes I do, I should not have reacted the way I did earlier today." Her gaze fell to her ever fidgeting hands.

"Serenity," I said gently. "You really don't need to apologize. You didn't know what was going on."

"I overreacted though," she replied. "I-I should learn to trust you enough to know you would not intentionally try to betray my trust."

I couldn't help but smile "You threw a pillow at me," I pointed out cheerfully. "You're not going to do much damage with a pillow, no matter how hard you try and no matter what Motoki might tell you in the future."

She smiled and finally looked up at me. She smiled! That made the whole getting attacked with the pillow episode worth it. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well, when we were really young he and I got into a pillow fight. I was beating him and he was starting to get to the point where he was about to cry. I felt kind of bad since earlier that day he had given me one of his strawberries that we found in the gardens. So to make him feel better, I started losing on purpose and saying 'ow' whenever he hit me. He was thrilled, but for a long time he claimed pillows could hurt you. He is older and wiser now though, so I would hope that he would not still believe that."

Serenity laughed. "I could see the two of you in a pillow fight."

I grinned. "We had lots of fun as children. There was one time we snuck into the pantry in search of a midnight snack, and the cook came down so we hid behind some sacks of flower. When she left we gathered our 'loot' in the dark, and then we went to retreat to Motoki's room. However, when the cook had left the pantry, she had also locked the door." At this point Serenity started to laugh. I grinned and continued, trying not to laugh myself. "We spent half the night trying to get out and in the end we gave up. We ate the snacks we came down to get and then fell asleep leaning against the sacks of flower we had hidden behind earlier. Unfortunately, we didn't notice that one of them was open, so during the night as we slept, our combined weight on it tipped it enough to dump flour onto us." Serenity was clutching her stomach with laughter and I was laughing as well now. "In the morning when the cook opened the door we were still asleep, and she screamed when she saw two figures sleeping there. The scream of course woke us, and we both jumped up, sending a cloud of white flower everywhere."

"T-the poor cook," Serenity said in between laughs. "She must have though she was seeing two ghosts."

"Maybe," I said with a grin. "Either way she grabbed us each by an ear and dragged us out of the pantry, strait to my father. When he saw her dragging us towards him he started to laugh, and that didn't serve much to the cooks liking since she wanted us punished for scaring her so much."

"Did he?" Serenity asked.

"Well, yes and no. The embarrassment of the whole situation was punishing enough, so he just made us go and clean up the mess, then we could go and clean ourselves off. It was a rather humbling experience cleaning up flour in the pantry, still covered in it ourselves, with the kitchen staff walking around, snickering." Our laughter slowly subsided, and I motioned to the chess table. "Shall we have a game?"

Serenity looked hesitantly to the board, and then nodded. "All right."

We started setting up the pieces. I picked up my king first and set him in his place. I was suddenly transported onto the board, the inhabiting the onyx king's body. I stared out over the chess board as the troops assembled before me. Across from me what an army of alabaster, all protecting what seemed like one piece; their queen. She stood there in her full glory, her ivory skin and platinum hair radiating with a surreal glow. I could feel a gentle breeze pick up and her hair started to sway around her. The skirt of her gown fluttered as she stood there, watching me, seeing how I would move. She was Serenity.

"You begin," I heard her say, even though the figures lips didn't move. I closed my eyes and willed a pawn forward two spaces. I opened my eyes again and watched as she scrutinized my move. The pawns standing before her quivered in anticipation, and finally she closed her eyes, and one of them moved. I nodded ever so slightly and moved another pawn out. A smile tugged at her lips as she closed her eyes and her knight moved out.

This was a battle I did not wish to lose. I was determined to win. Watching the ethereal beauty before me, though, I found it difficult to concentrate. I wanted to show her I was strong though, strong enough to conquer any army for her. It was something I had to do. Her gaze on me was steady with an almost lifeless quality to it. I shivered involuntarily as I willed my pawn to move.

The breeze on the battlefield shifted and my Lady's hair began to blow around her face. She made no move to push it back though. She lifted her hand and waved it forward. Her second knight heeded her call and moved forward, his eyes glinting with a desire to fulfill his mistresses every command. I smiled and moved my tower, a plan formulating in my mind.

"That won't work," she whispered with a hint of laughter in her voice, her lips not moving again. With those words said her bishop strode forward, taking his stance to block my next move.

The battle wore on. She stood across from me, her serene aura radiating to all the other pieces on the board. The delicate creature looked almost translucent as she commanded her army, feeling pain when one of her own fell and feeling triumph when she managed to gain a victory over me. I managed to glance at my own queen, and I wasn't even surprised to see that the queen was a faceless figure, as was the Alabaster King. That didn't matter.

I took a hard blow when Serenity's knight took down my queen. She fell to the ground with a sickening thud, her lifeless body vanishing from sight. I didn't mourn her, I couldn't bring myself to do so. My heart was already having an affair with the exotic woman who was still standing across the battle field from me. I could see her triumphant smile, but what she didn't know was that I felt the same triumph. She had taken away a part of me I did not need. Her smile faded as I began to advance my two towers, guarding them with a legion of paws. Her attempts to ward them off became frantic as one after another her soldiers fell. So focused was she on the two towers that she didn't even see me advancing towards her, my feet determined to reach her. She would not escape me, no, she would be mine.

Suddenly I was there, beside her, blocking her last route of escape. She turned and faced me, here eyes filled with fear and despair, although the rest of her face still calm and emotionless. I could see her pleading with me silently, although she would not admit it. Now I could show her my strength, my determination, my will to do all I could to obtain her.

Something stopped me though.

She reached out, slowly with her hand, and brought it to mold to my cheek. Our skin never made contact, and I took in a sharp breath as she stared at me, her eyes filled with such deep emotion that it caused my lungs to constrict and not allow me to breath. She told me, without a voice, she didn't need me to conquer her with my strength and she said to me, without words, I didn't need to use my determination to win and she explained to me, without sound, that I didn't need to obtain her.

My muscles quivered with the raw emotion she stared at me with, and I could do nothing else but step back. In another swift motion, it was all done. I was brought to my knees, and my power was taken from me. I was no longer King. I was the captive.

Yet, somehow, I knew I had won.

"Endymion?" The sound of my name being called brought me from my trance. I was no longer on the battle field with an enchanting demi-goddess, but I was in my room, staring at a chess board in the flickering fire light, staring at my toppled king.

I snapped my head up and my eyes met with two crystal clear blue oceans. Her gaze was questioning and curios, prodding me to answer her unasked question of what I had been thinking about. I smiled and shook my head. "Wow, I guess I really got into that game. I'm sorry if I was ignoring you."

Serenity smiled and picked up my king, placing him back at his starting position. "It was an intense game," she said gently, her fingers sliding from he smooth figure slowly, caressing the black stone. I felt myself shudder at the motion, and suddenly I light turned on in my head. It was an idea that had to work, it just had to, and I would employ it immediately.

"That was a wonderful game, Endymion, but I should really get to bed now," Serenity said as she started to stand from her seat. The fire in my mind flickered and sputtered, and I knew my plan would have to wait. I stood too and led my wife to the door.

"Very well. I would prefer if you stayed, but if you're tired then you should go. I will see you in the morning, Usagi."

She stopped mid-step and looked at me, a curious light in her gaze. "Usagi?" she inquired.

I smiled. "You're scared like a little bunny, yet your fast and clever. I need a nickname for you, and that one seems fitting."

Serenity considered this for a moment and then rewarded me with another one of her enchanting smiles. "Usagi, I like it. I will have to think of something for you too though, Endy."

I gave her a lopsided grin. "That works. No one has called me that before."

She nodded happily, then glanced back to the door. I opened it for her and she stepped out into the dim hallway. Everything was illuminated by the moonlight coming in through the glass wall, the silvered beams giving her a glow. I sucked in my breath as she turned around once more and looked at me. Her radiating beauty was the same as in my vision, and I was powerless to say anything.

"Good night, Endy," she said softly. "I'll see you tomorrow. And thank you, for earlier. Thank you for taking me to my room and saving me some embarrassment."

I managed to regain my strength and smiled. "You're welcome. Sleep well, Usagi."

"I will," she replied, and with that she walked to her room. I closed the door gently and walked over to my bed, allowing myself to fall into the soft sheets. I stared up at my ceiling, the light from the dying flames causing shadows to flicker across the ceiling. I sighed deeply as I though of my battle with the Alabaster Queen, and I knew I could find a way to her now. My plan would work.


	6. 5: A Helper Comes Forth

**Chapter 5 **

**A Helper Comes Forth**

I glanced around the room, surveying the crowd. Things were going smoothly, which pleased me greatly. Endymion and Serenity were standing next to the King and Queen, welcoming each person who came in. Endymion glanced up at me and caught my eye, and the glare he sent me said how-many-more-people-are-coming-and-how-can-I-make-you-suffer-for-this-huge-crowd? I shuddered and gave him a quick smile before turning around and finding refuge from the royal glare. I hadn't thought he would be displeased with the number of people, since I made sure only those who had to be invited were present.

There was nothing I could do now though, so instead of fretting I started to walk around, making sure that everything was going well. I would suffer through an interrogation and torture session later. I stopped at the back of one of the crowds and surveyed the scene.

"Motoki, there you are!" a cheerful voice said beside me. I turned and found myself watching a happy Naru coming towards me. I flashed her a smile. "Have you seen Anne and Alan?" My smile dropped. Of course she was looking for Anne, or more specifically, Alan.

"No, I haven't'," I told her truthfully. Of course she was looking for Alan.

"Oh, that's too bad," she replied, her smile faltering. "I guess I'll have to keep looking for them." Of course she would continue looking for Alan.

With the music playing and the crowds dancing, I couldn't pass up my opportunity. "Would you like to dance?" I asked her before she had the chance to escape.

A new smile lit her face. "That would be wonderful," she chirped and allowed me to lead her to the dance floor. Now at least she wasn't looking for Alan!

I couldn't help but glance at Endymion and Serenity every so often, hoping to find Endymion in more--cheerful-- disposition.

"Is the Princess all right now?" Naru asked, bringing my attention back to her.

"She seems to be."

"I feel so bad for her, and for the Prince too. That must be hard on a man, having a woman he loves and not being able to express that love for her."

You have no idea, I though. "Yes," I said out loud. "It is difficult for him. He's managing though."

Naru sighed. "I wish there was some way I could help."

I smiled at her honest desire to be of some assistance. "You could just try being friendly with the Princess. She doesn't know anyone here and I'm sure she would be happy to have some company."

"I could do that," Naru replied enthusiastically.

Naru...she was a lively creature, and I was happy to spend some time with her, even if she was thinking about how to find Alan. Of course she wanted to find Alan. She was infatuated with the man. I knew that, half the court knew that, he knew that. He did not respond to her advances though. I was always looking for Naru. Of course, she didn't know that, the court didn't know that, I almost didn't know that. She was a creature beyond my grasp, but I was happy to at least have her friendship.

The music ended and we stopped dancing, pausing to applauded the orchestra. "Well, I'm going to try and find Anne," Naru told me with a grin. "I'll see you later, Motoki."

With a swish of her gown, she was gone. I stared at the spot where she had been standing and allowed myself the luxury of a moments thought about how tiny her waist had been beneath my hand and how her perfume had wafted around me, the smell intoxicating and sweet. The moment was gone though when I shook my head and turned to walk over to Endymion, who was now sitting with Serenity by the thrones which were occupied by the King and Queen. Around them were a few more chairs, one of which I claimed after giving the royal family a bow.

I sat down beside Endymion. "How many people did you invite?" he muttered under his breath so only I could hear.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Not many," I said. "The hall is much emptier than most balls you have to admit."

"Yes, it's emptier, but it's still full," he replied in an agitated tone.

I chuckled. "I had to make it at least a little challenging for you, didn't I?"

"If you wanted to challenge me, you should have gotten me to ride on a crazed horse with no saddle in a thunderstorm through a field of hares while carrying all the crown jewels in my arms with the order not to drop a single one. That, my friend, would be a challenge, but this..." he paused and sighed. "This is just cruel torture."

"It's not that bad," I whispered. "At least this section is restricted." I watched Endymion sigh as he glanced at Serenity, who had a bored look on her face. I realized this was going to be a long night for her.

I turned to speak with Serenity, but from the corner of my eye I noticed a figure approaching us. I turned my head at the same time as Endymion, and both of us were surprised to see Anne and Alan. Alan bowed and Anne curtsied before they approached. I glanced at Serenity and saw that she had visibly tensed.

"Lord Alan, Lady Anne," I heard Endymion say, "it is a pleasure to see you here."

"The honor is ours, your highness. We thank you for inviting us," Alan said with another slight bow. I noticed that his eyes kept straying to Serenity, who was fidgeting more and more.

"I trust that you are enjoying yourselves," Endymion said, but I could hear in the tone of his voice that he wasn't really interested in starting up a lengthy conversation with the young lord.

"Yes, your Highness," Alan replied, then looked directly at Serenity. "I came here to apologize, if I may."

Serenity finally looked at him. "Apologize, my lord?" she asked, although it was clear to every one that she knew what he was talking about.

"Yes. I wish to apologize for yesterday, for what happened in the gardens. I had not meant to ... startle you so, and I hope that you can forgive my brashness. I do not wish to have my Princess angered with me after meeting me only once." He looked at her with an almost pleading look in his eyes.

For some reason, I didn't like the way he had said 'my Princess.'

"I thank you for your apology my Lord," Serenity said quietly. Alan bowed, obviously wanting to hear more, but Serenity said nothing else. Instead, she looked to Anne. "Lady Anne, would you care to join me here for a while? I would like another woman to talk to for a little while." Anne curtsied once again and came to sit beside Serenity. Alan stood there, a little awkwardly, not sure if he had been dismissed or if he was to stay. It was clear that Serenity was being cold towards him, something which I don't think displeased Endymion or myself. Alan was all too well known for his explicit liaisons with the ladies of court, and it was all too pleasant watching him be given the cold shoulder. However, I still didn't like the tension in the air.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Naru slowly wandering over towards us. Cursing myself, I smiled at Alan. "I believe that the Lady Naru was searching for you earlier. I think she was looking for a dance partner." As I spoke, I nodded my head in Naru's direction. Alan looked over, visibly relieved I had offered him an escape route.

"Thank you. I must not allow her to be disappointed." With those words and a bow he left. I hated throwing him at Naru. but I knew he was not interested in her, for whatever odd reason, and so I knew she would not be taken advantage of. I was just glad I was able to get him away from Serenity.

The night was long and dreary. Endymion refused to dance as did Serenity. Anne and Naru came by every so often and sat with Serenity. Other lords and ladies came up to pay their respects to Serenity and Endymion, as well as the king and queen. Whenever they weren't there, Serenity would have a conversation with Endymion and me. I found her to be quite enchanting and sweet, and I could understand why Endymion had taken such a liking to her.

The hours wore on. Ladies in colorful gowns danced around the floor with elegant men, and I could see the longing on Serenity's face. Still, I knew better than to ask her for a dance, even though I knew Endymion would not have minded if I had. It wasn't until about ten, though, that she stifled a yawn and said she would be retiring. Endymion and I stood with her and after she had bid the King and Queen goodnight, we escorted her to her room.

"Thank you for keeping me entertained all evening," she said to us once we reached her door. "I'm sorry I couldn't do the same for you."

"You were a pleasure to converse with," Endymion said, "I wasn't bored at all."

"I was quite entertained as well," I added in truthfully.

Serenity smiled and reached for her door handle. "Well thank you anyway," she murmured. "Good night, Motoki, good night, Endy."

"Rest yourself, Usagi," Endymion replied.

"Sleep well, Princess," I said. She nodded her head and slipped into her room. Endymion gave a low sigh and then started to walk to his room. I followed, holding my breath. He opened the door, we entered, he closed the door, and I was still holding my breath. He walked to the balcony doors, opened them, turned to look at me, and I was still holding my breath.

"Are you all right?" he asked me, arching his eyebrow.

I couldn't hold it in any longer. I let my breath out in a whoosh, squeaking out only one word in the process. "Endy?"

Endymion eyebrow fell and a smile lit his face. "Is there a problem with that?" he asked as I started to laugh. He gestured for me to join him on the balcony. We sat down in the chairs that were out there.

"So are you going to tell me where 'Endy' came from?" I inquired, still chuckling.

"We were playing chess last nigh," he began, "and when she was leaving I called her Usagi. She felt the need to give me a nickname too and called me Endy. That's about all there is to it."

I smiled. "So now you have nicknames for each other?" I asked teasingly.

"Not one word, Motoki," Endy --I mean-- Endymion warned playfully.

We both chuckled but said nothing more on the subject. Deciding to turn to a slightly more serious subject, I decided to bring up Lord Alan. "Did you notice how Serenity tensed up when Alan came along tonight?"

Endymion turned serious right away too. "Yes, of course I did. I didn't like it."

"I honestly don't blame her," I stated. Endymion knew my feelings about Alan, and he shared them for the most part.

"I don't either. I could feel her discomfort with him even before he touched her the day before through our link. I suppose that might have been due to the fact that she didn't know him and he was standing too close, but even so, she just didn't like him."

"Again, I don't blame her."

I watched as he raked his fingers through his hair. "I just wish that both he and Anne would go for a nice, long vacation somewhere. She's been everywhere the past couple of days, I feel like I can't escape her. She's always staring at me with this hurt, betrayed look in her eyes, even though there was nothing going on between us, ever."

I nodded. "She'll get over it eventually. I can see her getting friendly with Serenity though. She and Naru will become close companions to her I think."

"Yes. Serenity seems to have taken a liking to them both. I'm happy to see that."

A knock on the door stopped our conversation. Endymion looked to the door, hope and excitement flashing through his eyes. It took everything I had in me to keep from laughing. We both stood and walked into the room, with him going to the door. He opened it to see who the unexpected visitor was, and I think both of us were rather shocked to see Luna standing there.

"Luna, what brings you here?" Endymion asked, stepping aside and motioning for her to enter.

She stepped in hesitantly. "I wanted to speak to your highness about Serenity," she said. I motioned for her to follow me outside where I held out a chair for her. She sat down and then we did too. It was a warm night and the glow of the stars and moon gave us all the illumination we needed.

Once we were all seated, Endymion turned his attention to Luna. "What do you wish to talk to me about? Is Serenity all right?"

Luna nodded. "She's fine. I am worried about her, about the whole situation, but with respect to her health she is fine. She was feeling tired and went to sleep right after she came back to her room. She seemed sad though."

"Sad?" Endymion asked.

"Yes, sad. Serenity was a very lively, outgoing girl back on the Moon. Now I fear she feels restricted in doing many things since there are so many men around here. I don't want her to feel isolated and trapped for the rest of her life, so I came here to ask what you are planning to do."

I smirked at Endymion surprised expression. Luna had reminded him, albeit kindly, of his responsibility to Serenity. He had to keep her happy. I sobered up right away when I considered the seriousness of the situation.

Endymion regained his composure and sighed. "I do have a plan on how to start getting through to her, but I'm going to need time, and possibly some help, if you are willing to aid me, Lady Luna."

Luna smiled. "Of course I'll help in any way that I can. I didn't come here with Serenity only out of sense of duty, but because she is almost like a daughter to me. I will do anything I can to help you help her. However, I would like to know what your plans are so that I know how to help you and, if you will allow me, advise you."

"Believe me, Luna, any advice you are willing to give me I will gladly accept." I could hear the eagerness in his voice. "Please, do not ever be formal with me, call me Endymion, and whenever you have something to tell me or chastise me about, then don't hesitate to do so."

Luna blushed at the sudden informality she was presented with. "Don't worry," I said, "Our dear Endy--oh pardon me--_Endymion_, is not at all tyrannical and prudent." I gave him a cheeky grin when I let my tongue slip with his name and he simply rolled his eyes. Luna's eyebrows rose with curiosity, but she didn't say anything. I shook my head then looked at Endymion. "You said you had a plan..." I let my sentence trail hoping he would fill in the blanks.

Luna and I watched as he picked up a glass of water that was on the table from earlier. He swirled the transparent liquid, allowing it to glitter in the moonbeams. "Picture a man working hard on something, so intensely that he doesn't have a sense of time, hunger, or thirst. You've been like that before, right?" He asked. Luna nodded as did I. "If you come along though with a glass of water and give him a sip, he suddenly realizes just how thirsty he is, and he starts to desire that water. Correct?" He paused as he studied the glass. "Soon that desire turns into a craving, and that craving into a burning need. He knows if he doesn't get that water, he will perish. So you give him a little more, and he desire the liquid even more. He needs to satisfy his thirst." He paused again and looked at us.

"I don't think I'm following you," Luna said.

Endymion chuckled. "If you forced water down that mans throat he would vomit and develop a loathing for water for some time. You can give it to him, but in little sips." He paused again. Both Luna and I were giving him puzzled looks, so he continued. "Finally, once he is satisfied, he will go back to what he was doing. Now what do you suppose will happen if he sees you thirsty and in need of water and he has a glass with him?"

He stared at us. I glanced at Luna and she at me; our eyes locked. Slowly they wheels in my head started to turn and I could see her trying to decipher the riddle as well.

Then it clicked.

I looked at him. "I think I see what you're getting at now, sort of. How is it going to work though?"

"Serenity is not easily fooled," Luna cautioned. "You won't be able to trick her."

"I have no intentions of tricking her," Endymion replied smoothly as he set the glass down on the table. "Perhaps I should explain the whole plan though." Luna and I listened intensely as Endymion outlined his entire plan beneath the glow of the stars. The way he explained it made it seem so logical, so manageable, so possible...

It had to work.

Luna picked up the glass. "So," she began, "when will first sip be given?"

Endymion grinned. "Tomorrow night, I think."

I chuckled. "Let the game begin. We are your pawns, my Lord. Go get your Queen."

-------------------------------------------

_A/N: And the suspense begins..._

_-----------------------------------------_

_--Disclaimer--_

_I do not own the rights to Sailormoon or any of the characters. That honor belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, and I am simply a lowly author who can use her characters for my plots._


	7. 6:The Chess Game III

**Chapter 6 **

**The Chess Game III**

I could not believe how antsy I was. I had no reason to be antsy. No reason whatsoever. Yet there I was, sitting on the edge of my bed, clutching the sheets to keep myself from springing up and pacing.

I had not seen her all day. Mother had taken her soon after breakfast, claiming that Serenity needed a new wardrobe. I emphasize heavily on the word needed. Mother was obsessed with clothing and I was pretty sure she had dragged Serenity to every single tailor and seamstress in the kingdom as well as every type of accessory shop available. I felt pity for Serenity, since I knew how tiring it was to go shopping with my mother.

Now it was evening though. Everything outside was wrapped in darkness. The warm fire crackled in the hearth, giving the room a warm, cozy feeling, which was just what I was going for. She was supposed to be coming soon, and everything had to be just right. I had a small table set up next to each chair by the fire with wine and small snacks. The chess board was already set up and I had made sure there was enough wood in the room to keep the fire going all night if the need arose.

Now all I had to do was wait.

No longer able to sit still, I got up and started to pace the room. Why was I so nervous? If I could have answered that question, I would have been a very happy man. It was not like me to be nervous and high strung. It wasn't as if something monumental was going to happen. We would simply enjoy a few games of chess, exchange conversation, and I would set my plan in motion. There was nothing to be nervous about. Even if the plan didn't work, so what? I would try something different. It really didn't matter all that much, it couldn't. Could it? No, of course not, it was not going to change the world. "Endy--?" If things didn't work out then they simply would not, end of story, there would be something else I'd be able to do. "Endy?" Of course it would be nice if it did work, since it would make life a whole lot easier and perhaps be the first step in--

"Endy!"

I stopped pacing and looked to the door. My breath caught in my throat as my eyes fell upon a vision of utter beauty. She was standing there in the open doorway with moonbeams filtering in from behind her, giving her a silver glow...

--It had to work.

"Usagi...I'm sorry, I didn't hear you open the door," I explained, walking over to her.

She smiled. "You seemed to be deep in though. I called you three times before you finally heard me."

I gestured for her to enter before closing the door behind her. I led her to the chess table and motioned for her to take a seat in one of the over stuffed chairs. She sat down, smoothing out her skirt over her knees. The pale pink fabric showed off every curve on her body and I had to look away before she caught me staring at her. I lowered myself into the chair opposite to her.

"Your mother took me all over the city today to get some new dresses. I've never seen so many colors all at once in my life." She fingered the delicate fabric and looked up at me. "What do you think?" she asked a little hesitantly.

"Beautiful," I murmured.

She smiled. "I loved the fabric."

I gave her a lopsided smile. "I wasn't referring to the dress."

I could see her blush as she blinked at me in surprise. "Th-thank you," she stuttered. Her gaze dropped down to the chess board and I could see her hands fidgeting. I gave a gentle tug on the heart string, enjoying how she took in a sharp breath at the action.

"Shall we play?" I asked.

Usagi nodded. "Yes, you can start."

Thus, the game began. It took about ten minutes before she finally dared look at me again and it wasn't until nearly the end of the game that she was finally relaxed again. I managed to defeat her, though not by much. When her king fell, she leaned back in her chair, a smile plastered to her face."That was fun," she chirped.

I nodded. "Mmhmm." I pointed to the table beside her chair. "I didn't know when you and mother had dinner, so I made sure there was something for you to eat and drink."

Serenity giggled as she picked up a small wedge of cheese. "Your mother must have had me sample every kind of food your kingdom has to offer. Every two minutes she would have the carriage stopped and have one of the guards go and purchase something." She started to nibble at the cheese slowly. "I didn't mind though," she added with a smile.

I chuckled as I took the wine glass and sipped from it. "I know that I enjoyed the food on the Moon when we were there. It was different, but equally good."

Usagi sighed in contentment as she finished off the wedge. "But the food here is so...heavenly."

I smiled. "Well, shall we have another game?" Usagi nodded eagerly and we set up the table again.

"Do you mind if I ask you something?" I inquired as she moved out her pawn.

"No, not at all."

"What is it that you don't like about Alan." I could see her tense slightly at the name, but the game continued.

"I don't know what it is about him," she replied as I brought out my knight. "The first time I saw him I didn't like the way he was looking at me. I don't know what it is, maybe I'm just paranoid." She moved her pawn to block my knights next move.

"You like Motoki though," I pointed out.

"Yes, I do. Motoki is ver nice and knows how to keep his distance." She frowned as I brought out my other knight.

"You can trust Motoki," I told her. "He is a good friend of mine and he has great respect for you. He wouldn't try to do anything to make you uncomfortable."

Usagi nodded as she moved her bishop. "Thank you for the reassurance."

"Have you had any other problems since our arrival?"

"No, not really. Everyone is very kind to me," she answered. I had noticed a slight pause, though, before she answered me.

"If there is anything that ever bothers you, all you have to do is tell me," I said gently.

She smiled at me. "I know. Thank you. Check."

I moved a pawn to block her queen. The rest of the game we played out in silence, with her finally cornering my king. "Checkmate!" she said triumphantly as I knocked my king over.

I smiled as leaned back and took another sip of wine. It was time.

"How about for the next game we make a wager, just to make it more interesting," I suggested.

Usagi's eyebrows rose. "A wager?" she asked, her attention obviously caught. "What kind of wager?"

"Just an innocent wager," I replied nonchalantly, setting the wine goblet back on the table. "What would you like me to do if you won?"

Usagi pondered for a moment. "I don't know," she finally said. "What would you do?"

I rubbed my chin. "I can't decide that for you."

I watched as her mouth twisted into a pout. "Well I really don't know," she said.

I chuckled. "How about once the game is over the victor can choose his or her spoils."

Usagi considered this for a moment."Fine, but it can't be something that would be completely embarrassing or life threatening."

"Deal," I replied, and we began setting up the board. The two armies faced each other, and almost without warning, the battle began. "So, you enjoyed the afternoon with my mother?" I asked casually.

"Shh," she replied. "I'm concentrating."

I chuckled. "Are you really that scared that I'll beat you?" I teased.

A mischievous smile lit her face. "No. I just need to figure out how to make this quick and painful for you, since the stakes are higher than ever before."

I laughed. "Well you just keep concentrating then. You're going to need a lot of it if you're wanting to try and humiliate me." I couldn't help but laugh again as she stuck her tongue out at me, then resumed 'concentrating.'

The battle wore on. I could almost feel the warriors growing fatigued with the passing time. I refused to give up though, and Usagi didn't look like she was willing to step down either. It took her a full forty five minutes to get me into check, one which was too tight for my liking. I managed to escape though and bring her into check myself, but she evaded me.

Finally, at long last, after an hour of battle, the king fell. He lay there on the chess board, face down, completely still. "Checkmate." Victory was mine.

We both let out our breaths in a big whoosh as we sat back in our seats. "That was intense," Usagi squeaked out. "I think I strained my brain on that one."

I nodded. "Me too. That was very long."

Usagi stared at me. "So, my Lord, what will be your spoils?"

I smiled. "I'll tell you a little later," I replied, chuckling when she started to pout again. Before she could voice any protests, and glanced at the chess table. "So what do you think? Do our brains deserve a break for a little while?"

Usagi nodded, the pout dropping from her face. "Yes, please. That was a defeat I do not wish to repeat. I need a break."

I nodded and stood. I easily picked up the small table and moved it off the rug. Then, rather than sitting in my chair, I sat down on the rug in front of the fire place, leaning back on my hands and stretching out my leg. Serenity stared at me for a few seconds before smiling and sitting down on the ground too, wrapping her arms around her knees to keep herself upright.

"Do you like it here?" I asked suddenly. She glanced at me, then looked back into the dancing flames.

"Why do you ask?" she inquired.

"Can't I just be curious?"

"I suppose...yes, I do like it here, but I miss home." She paused and gave a small sigh. "Everything is so new here, I feel a little overwhelmed."

"Well, you certainly look like your adapting well."

She smiled. "I'm happy that I've met Naru and Anne. They are both really nice, and they make me feel welcome here." She glanced at me again. "I'm also glad I have you and Motoki to keep me company, as well as Luna."

"We all enjoy your company," I said softly. "You are a very unique person, Usagi."

She smiled. "I try to be cheerful. I just like seeing people happy."

"I want to see you happy," I stated. "You have not looked too happy since...our wedding."

Usagi frowned slightly. "I'm still getting used to things, that's all," she responded, although I could hear an underlaying sadness in her words. There were a few moments of silence. Usagi perked up suddenly. "So, what do you want me to do, since you won that last game."

A smile touched the corners of my lips. It was time to begin. "I want you to do something, something that you might find a little difficult to do, but not impossible."

Tilting her head, she gave me a confused look. "What?"

"I want you to move a bit closer to me--" I motioned to a spot almost right next to me. "--don't worry, I promise I won't touch you." Usagi looked at me hesitantly, then slid herself closer, resting her weight on her hip so her legs were stretched out next to her. She leaned all her weight on one arm, draping the other across her stomach.

"Is that all?" she asked.

I glanced down at the rug, then back up at her. Her eyes were dancing with amusement and curiosity, and I was very tempted to reach out and bring her to me. Of course, I didn't.

"No, that's not all," I replied. I swallowed, surprised how hard it was to speak all of a sudden. Why was I so nervous again? "I want you to--" I swallowed again. "--I want you to touch me."

There was silence. Neither one of us moved, spoke, or even breathed I think. Finally, Usagi's lips parted. "Endy, I don't think--"

"Usagi, please," I whispered, cutting her off. "I promise I won't try and touch you. I won't move at all, you have my word. All I want for you to do is put your hand on my face and keep it there for a few seconds, without fear that I'm going to jump on you and hurt you."

I watched as she chewed on her bottom lip, trying to hide the trembling. She turned her head and stared into the fire, contemplating what she should do. "You won't move at all?" she asked.

"Not unless you wish it."

"Close your eyes then," she whispered.

"Pardon?" I asked, not sure why she had made such a request.

"Close. Your. Eyes," she repeated. "I don't want you watching me."

"As you wish," I said, still unsure why she wanted me to have my eyes closed. I did comply with the request though. For several moments there was no sound except the crackling fire. I kept my eyes closed though and waited patiently. Finally, I heard the sound of rustling fabric, and I could feel her moving closer. I mentally checked our thread, and I felt it getting shorter, so I knew she was coming closer. I could her breathing, deeper than it usually was. The smell of lilacs and vanilla suddenly enveloped my senses, causing my whole body to quiver with anticipation. She was so close, I could feel it.

At first, physically, I felt nothing. I still waited though, and then I felt warmth radiating to my skin on my cheek. The lightest pressure was put on my cheek, and I almost wasn't sure if her hand was or was not there.

Then I was sure. I could feel her delicate hand pressing against my cheek, hesitantly but surely. Her fingers molded to my face, warming the skin beneath them. I had to bite the inside of my cheek to resist the urge to lean my face into her hand.

That was all I had been expecting. Nothing more. What I had not expected was what she did next. Rather than simply taking her hand from my face, she slid her fingers across my cheek, outlining my cheek bone with the tips of her fingers. She ran her palm down my jaw line to my neck, bringing it forward so that her thumb was still resting on my chin.

I felt my heart speed up and the blood rush through my veins at an ever increasing speed. I had not expected that such a gentle touch could heat me up so much. Her thumb increased pressure on my chin ever so slightly as she started to rub it back and forth. I couldn't help but suck in by breath. She didn't seem to notice though.

I opened my eyes. I couldn't help it. I had to do something. I regretted my action almost though. Almost.

Usagi was still leaning on her hip, her legs stretched out beside her, leaning on one hand and using the other to cup my face. She was completely focused on the task at hand though and didn't even notice me watching her. Her eyes were staring at the point where her thumb was, completely mesmerized. My heart started to beat even faster as I watched her. She looked beautiful, illuminated by the soft golden glow of the fire. She licked her lips and nibbled her bottom lip, then released it. I had to bite my own lip to keep from leaning forward and capturing her soft lips with mine.

She slid her fingers down my neck then back up to my face. I started to get a bit nervous again, since I was starting to feel rather warm and I found it increasingly difficult to steel myself against moving. Her fingers reached my cheek bone again, her eyes following their every movement. A light blush lit her cheeks and her eyes were slightly closed, giving her an almost sultry look.

She let her gaze roam over my face and then our eyes met; everything in the room froze. I could feel her heart accelerating through our link, and I was sure she could feel mine too by the wide-eyes look on her face. I could feel her hand beginning to quiver in its position on my cheek. She looked afraid, yet at the same time bold and confident. Then I felt it; a gentle tug on the heart string.

My whole body shuddered and my eyelids flutter closed. My heart hammered in my chest with such strength I was sure it was going to leap out. Without warning though, the warmth of her hand disappeared from my face. My eyes snapped open.

"I'm sorry," Usagi whispered as she held her hand against her chest.

"For what?" I managed to whisper hoarsely. My skin sill burned from her touch. "You did nothing wrong."

"I-I just thought that..." she let her sentence trail off.

I gave her a lopsided smile, and for the first time since I met her, I could feel myself blushing. Not much, but a little. "I didn't mind," I murmured. "You can do that whenever you like." I leaned on an elbow and held out my hand to her palm up. She stared at it for a moment before touching her fingers to the palm and running them across it. She let her fingertips travel to the tips of my fingers, over my callouses, to the joint of my thumb, then she lay her palm on mine. I didn't wrap my fingers around her hand. It nearly killed me in not doing so, but I didn't.

Finally, she drew her hand away from mine. Her eyes shone brightly as she gazed at me, a joy-filled smile on her face. "Thank you," she whispered.

I smiled back. "You have nothing to thank me for," I replied. "I was simply collecting my winnings."

"Of course," she agreed, the smile never leaving her face. She glanced to the chess table. "Shall we have another game?"

I chuckled. "Perhaps another night, my brain is still recovering."

Usagi sighed. "Ahh well. I will have to wait to defeat you and gain my own spoils."

I nodded. "Yes. Another night."

We stood and said goodnight. As soon as the door closed behind her, I fell onto my bed and stared up at the ceiling, a grin plastered to my face.

The sip was given. Now her thirst would begin.

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_--Disclaimer--_

_I do not own the rights to Sailormoon or any of the characters. That honor belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, and I am simply a lowly author who can use her characters for my plots._


	8. 7: Nightmares and Dreams

**Chapter 7**

**Nightmares and Dreams**

I picked up the glass and took a sip of the cool water. Laughter resonated off the walls as father made yet another joke, causing the visiting delegates and Kings to laugh. I couldn't help but smile as well. Father had a flare for humor, although when the situation called for it he could be so serious that it was scary. At the moment the mood was light though, something which I was grateful for.

"Very well, my lord, I will make sure that they know of your interest. I'm sure they will be pleased to know that you desire the new trade route," the Ambassador from Pluto commented. "Although I must warn you that fast trade is not something they are particularly good at."

"Very well, we will be anticipating his visit. We will send a letter in the next few days with an ambassador. It only makes sense it will not be fast trade since we are so far away from them. Besides, this is not something done out of need, but rather to establish a new alliance, so if the trade is slow that is fine as long as they do not mind," my father replied. They were talking about a planet of which I couldn't even remember the name.

There was the sound of shuffling papers and low murmurs. The meeting had been going on for well over three hours and I knew that things would be ending soon.

"Well gentlemen, shall we call it a day?" I heard my father ask, as if on cue.

"I think we covered more than we wanted today so I don't see why not," the King of Mars agreed.

"Yes, I think it's time we took a break," the King of Venus added in.

"Good. We can continue tomorrow then," father concluded. I sighed and leaned back in my chair, straitening out the papers in front of me.

"Endymion, I believe that congratulations are called for," I heard the King of Mars say. I glanced over to him.

"What for, my Lord?" I asked.

"For your marriage. We have not seen you in some time and it came as a surprise to us that you were married without inviting anyone to the wedding."

I could feel myself blush slightly. "It was a very small ceremony, my Lord, put together at the last minute. I thank you for your well wished though."

The King of Venus chuckled. "Young love is so impatient. I still remember what it was like. I offer my congratulations as well."

The Plutonian Ambassador nodded in agreement. "I too offer congratulations, as do my Lord and Lady. I have a letter from them to give to you a little later."

"Thank you," I replied, smiling. Serenity had been on the Earth for nearly three weeks now but to me it seemed as though she had always been there. She had fallen right into place, with the guidance provided by mother, Naru, and Anne. There had been very few 'incidents' where Serenity had a need to feel scared. Usually they occurred when there were crowds or when someone who had been abroad for a while came back and was not aware of Serenity's situation. Of course, she always felt anxious whenever Allan was around her, which seemed to be happening more and more frequently.

"Will be allowed to see your lovely wife during our visit?" The King of Mars asked.

I nodded. "Tomorrow night at the formal dinner, or if you happen to run into her during the day somewhere."

I was happy Father had arranged this meeting, since it meant that two of Usagi's former senshi had come to visit. She had been incredibly excited about that and when the girls had actually arrived, I lost Serenity's attention completely. I didn't mind though, she was happy.

The meeting ended and everyone went their separate ways. It was late and I was looking forward to getting into bed. The hallways were quite as I made my way to my room, pausing only briefly outside of Usagi's room. I could hear giggles coming from within, so I knew that she was still up with Rei and Mina. Of course, this didn't surprise me. I shook my head and smiled as I walked to my own room, closing the door soundlessly behind me.

My room was dark save for the remnants of a fire in the hearth. One of the maids must have lit it earlier and forgotten to come back to stoke it. I sighed as I threw another log onto the dying embers and then walked over to the balcony. Leaning against the railing I looked up into the star studded sky and let out a deep sigh.

"So you really like it hear?" I perked up at the sound of a feminine voice coming from the adjacent balcony. I glanced over and noticed that the door to Usagi's balcony was open, and I could hear the conversation from within. From having spoken to Mina and Rei earlier, I guessed that the speaker had been Rei. I didn't want to eavesdrop, but the question made me pause. I wanted to hear Serenity's answer when she was no speaking with me.

"I like it here a lot," I heard her reply. "I miss you so much though, as well as the Moon. Things are so different here. I feel a bit homesick sometimes."

"How are things going with Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Handsome?" I heard Mina asked. I had to choke down laughter so that they wouldn't discover me.

"You need to tell us all the juicy details!" Rei prodded. I smiled. If Usagi had any 'juicy details' then I wanted to hear them.

"I don't know what you two are talking about," I heard her reply, feigning innocence. There was a round of giggles.

"Oh come on, there must be something for you to tell!" Mina exclaimed. A moment of silence followed which had me straining my ears to make sure I wasn't missing anything.

Finally, Serenity spoke. "There really aren't any juicy details," she said sullenly.

"Is it still as bad as when you left the Moon?" Rei asked gently. I heard nothing but I could only assume that Serenity was nodding. "How have you been handling it though, on a planet with so many more men? And what about Endymion? How is he handling the situation?"

"It hasn't been so bad here. I think that the King and Queen and Endy made sure that there were as few men around me as possible, and those that are here at court must have been ordered not to touch me."She sighed. "I feel like a burden here."

"I'm sure they don't see you as a burden," Mina said gently.

"I still feel like one though. Everyone always acts so careful around me. I do appreciate it, but when every one makes sure they avoid you by a couple of feet, you feel a little...alone." I could hear the pain in her voice and it tore me on the inside. There was no reason she should feel that way!

"Endy has been very good to me though," Usagi continued. "He has not tried to come into my personal space unless necessary. He's been very sweet to me. We've been playing chess together, placing small...wagers every so often. I enjoy his company."

"What kind of wagers?" Rei asked teasingly and I couldn't help but chuckle softly. Since the first wager that I placed, Serenity and I had played six more times. The first two times she had won but all she had asked of me was to spend time with her. The first time on a horseback ride through the forests surrounding the palace. The second time I had to take her through the entire palace, exploring every nook and cranny. That had been rather interesting, since there were rooms I had not been in in years, and when we got to some of the storage rooms we found many interesting old paintings, clothing, furniture, and other treasures.

After that I had won once, and I made the same request of her as before. That time I had managed to keep her --occupied--longer, but not much. After that I let her win the next three evenings. I was not going to let her win the next time though.

"It's nothing big really. The winner just gets to make a request of the other, nothing too big," Serenity replied.

"Like what though?" I hear Mina ask, her curiosity obviously caught.

"Well when I won I asked him to go on a horse back ride with me or to go exploring the castle or reading to me...thing like that." I smiled as I remembered that third request. I had to read a book to her, and it took me nearly the entire week but I got through it. Why she asked me to read to her was beyond me, but we did it.

"And what about him? What has he asked of you?" Rei inquired a little impatiently.

"He-he asked me to put my hand on his face," Serenity whispered, the words almost not reaching my ears.

"He what?" Rei exclaimed. "What did you tell him?"

"I-I told him to close his eyes. Then I did it."

"You did?" Mina sounded rather shocked. I knew I had a silly grin on my face, but no one could see me so I didn't bother trying to suppress it. "That's wonderful!" Mina added.

"That's one step!" Rei exclaimed. I could picture Serenity sitting there, blushing and smiling. There was a short pause before Mina spoke again.

"Do you love him?" she asked. I felt my heart skip a beat, why, I don't know. Her words were hushed and inquisitive, beseeching Serenity for an honest answer. My grin dropped and I listened intently, the palms of my hands suddenly sweaty and my heart dancing wildy in my chest.

There was silence.

More silence.

Agonizing silence.

Torturing silence.

Then I heard the rustling of fabric, but no words. No yes or no, no maybe, no nothing. After a few moments of more silence, when I thought that I was ready to run into Serenity's room and demand the answer to the question, Mina finally spoke.

"We should go to bed, it's late and tomorrow is another day." I nearly cried out in frustration. I could picture Serenity either shaking or nodding her head, not speaking words so I could know what she was thinking...curses!

"Goodnight then. Sleep well!" Serenity replied. The sound of rustling fabric could be heard again and then I heard the door open and close. Then there was silence.

Feeling rather frustrated, I walked back into my room. Of course I wanted to know Serenity's answer, she was my wife after all, a woman that I respected and who respected me in return. We shared a link and I wanted to know if my affections were retu--if she cared for me. No other reason.

With a growl I sat down on the bed and took off my boots and tunic. I didn't bother taking off my loose white shirt and pants as I flopped down onto the mattress, the heat of the fire warming the room a little too much. Soon, I fell asleep.

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I was on the battle field. The black and white squares stretched all around me in a seemingly endless checkered pattern. Down on one knee I stared at the ground, not really sure what to do. A gentle breeze danced around me, causing my cloak and hair to dance with it. Where had my army disappeared to? Had I just been through another defeat? I did not know.

Alabaster Queen stood before me, Serenity, her white aura radiating around her. She had a small smile on her lips as she leaned down ever so slightly and touched her fingers below my chin, tilting my face upward. I felt a comforting heat spreading through my body, coursing through my veins and warming me even to my bones.

I felt something tug at my heart, gently at first then more urgently. Serenity's smile dropped and she froze. I stared at her curiously, and the tugging got stronger. She dropped her hand from my face and gave out a heart-wrenching scream. I was up on my feet in an instant, trying to see why she was suddenly so afraid.

The tugging got stronger, making my heart palpitate in my chest at a dangerous speed and ferocity.

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I woke up gasping for air. Even though I knew I was in my room, the sensation on my heart persisted. Then I heard it; a soft, muffled scream. Serenity was scared!

I leapt of my bed, navigating my way through the now completely dark room. I made it to the door without running into anything, which seemed like a miracle, and flung the door open. I ran to Serenity's room and without knocking entered. I could make out Serenity on the bed from the moonlight streaming in through the open balcony. She was thrashing around, as if she was struggling against some invisible foe. She screamed again. I dashed to the bed and wrapped my arms around her, bringing her to my chest, praying she wouldn't start screaming even more.

I heard the door to Motoki's room open and the sound of running feet reached my ears. I smoothed Serenity's hair and hugged her to me tightly. "Shh, it's ok," I whispered in her ear, hoping to calm her as she clung to my shirt, pressing herself into my chest. "I'm here, nothing is going to hurt you." I glanced up and saw Motoki rushing to the bed. His hair was a mess and it looked as though he had barely gotten his pants on before running out of his room.

Serenity whimpered as I held her shaking form, whispering words of comfort into her ear. I was sitting on the edge of the bed and feeling rather grateful that our combined weight was not toppling us to the ground.

"What happened?" Motoki whispered urgently?

"I don't know," I whispered back. I kept stroking Serenity back and rocking her gently. Slowly her crying subsided and she stopped squirming, leaning against me fully. I knew she wasn't awake, otherwise I would already be either dead or out of the room.

Motoki stayed there until Serenity seemed to have calmed down completely from her nightmare. I rose to lay her back on the bed, but she still clung to me. I could feel myself starting to fall from the unexpected action, but I managed to fall onto the bed beside her rather than on top. By the end I shifted so that she was on top of me with her head on my chest, her delicate hands still clutching my shirt. I looked helplessly at Motoki who still looked worried.

"Are you going to stay here with her?" he asked.

I sighed. "It looks like I have no other choice," I murmured as Serenity snuggled closer to me.

Motoki nodded. "You better get out of here as soon as she loosens her death grip on you, before she wakes up."

"I will," I replied.

"Fine. I'll check in here early in the morning in case you fall asleep."

"All right," I whispered. Motoki stayed only a few more moments before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

I turned my attention to the woman clinging to me. She was slumbering peacefully again, the trails of her tears still visible on her face. I started drinking in every detail of her that I could, at least what I could see of her face at that angle.

She stirred against me, letting out a low moan. I inhaled deeply as she pressed her hair to my nose. Bliss. She was so tiny and light and warm, it felt nice having her laying on top of me. Placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head I blessed any gods out there for letting me find her.

My heart started to speed up at the sudden realization that I was holding her, Serenity, my Usagi! She wasn't fleeing from me in terror or hurling things at me, no! I was holding her, touching her, cradling her in my arms; the feeling was euphoric.

I willed my heart to calm down. Now was not the time to get excited. I had to remain calm.

The sound of her deep, even breathing helped calm me down. Soon I found myself feeling drowsy and mellow, slowly slipping back into sleep. This felt right, natural, comforting . I was happy I had been able to sooth her fears, even in her dreams, and that now as a reward I was holding her. I refused to let my heart speed up at the thought, rather letting my mind slip into a peaceful, deep slumber.


	9. 8: Storm of Emotions

**Chapter 8**

**Storm of Emotions**

Despite the fact I was sleeping soundly and having the best rest I had had in years, something was prodding at my mind telling me to wake up. I tried to push the feeling aside, but it would not leave. Finally it got to be too irritating and I let myself wake up slowly, conscious of the comforting weight on my shoulder and chest. I willed my eyes to open and let them adjust to the still dark room. I could tell from the sky that it was almost dawn. As my eyes adjusted I glanced down and smiled. Serenity was laying beside me, her head on my shoulder and her arm draped across my chest. I had my arm wrapped around her delicate shoulders. If I could have, I would have stayed where I was until the end of time, or at least until she woke up. I knew, however, that if I did wait that long then there would be hell to pay. Rather than risk her anger again, I slowly started to slip her from me.

The task was harder than I thought it was going to be. I had to move her off of me, get off the bed, and make it out the door without her waking up. Easy? About as easy as walking on those proverbial egg shells. Millimeter by millimeter I eased her off of me, slowly sliding across the sheets away from her. When I was almost free and about to give an internal sigh of relief, she stirred. My whole body froze and I tensed up, afraid I had woken her up. I hadn't. She simply tightened her grip on my shirt and threw her leg over top of mine. I swallowed hard. Of course, it didn't help my situation that the action tossed the covers off her legs and revealed a thigh that was exposed almost all the way up to her hip. This was certainly not getting any easier. Her knee was uncomfortably close to my groin and the sight of the pale, smooth skin was not helping my now trembling hands to calm down.

I finally managed to get my arm out from under her and pry her hand form my shirt. How, I have no idea, but I did manage to do so. Now all that was left for me to do was untangle her leg from my own and then I could slip out of the room. No problem, I could do this. This was going to be the easy part.

Yeah right.

I made sure that she was hugging a pillow so that she would not have the sudden urge to snuggle up to me again and put me back to square one. Once I was sure her arms and hands were occupied, I began focusing on the task at hand once more.

I gently slipped my hands below her knee. My fingers brushed against her satin-smooth skin, causing my blood to pound through my veins. I gritted my teeth in an attempt to steel my nerves. If she woke up right now...I wondered how many seconds I could stay alive.

Forcing myself to move as slowly as I could I raised her leg, moving my hands to be constantly supporting it as much of it as I could. I prayed for the strength to keep myself from running my hands up and down her calves and thighs, and soon found myself biting the inside of my cheek to banish such thoughts.

Then, she stirred again. There was nothing I could do but watch helplessly as she slid her leg across my hands, bringing her knee even closer to my groin. I took in a sharp breathe and counted to twenty. This. Was. Not. Good.

Once I was sure she had not woken up, I continued my delicate maneuvering. I was still holding her leg so I started to slowly lift it, grateful for the patience I had inherited from my father. Finally I had her leg high enough so that I could slide mine out from under her. My muscles trembled as I tried to my leg away from her and keep my upper body steady so that I wouldn't move her leg and wake her up. I could feel my palms sweating as I began the slow, tedious process of lowering her leg.

As I finally placed her leg on the sheets and fixed the covers so that she was completely beneath them, there was enough sunlight in the room to see everything clearly. I took a moment, now that I was in the safe zone, to stare. It was not often I could do this since Serenity seemed to always know when I was watching her.

The golden dawn caressed all her features with a soft glow. She looked so innocent, peaceful, and calm just laying there. The sleeve of her nightgown had slipped off her shoulder, revealing her pale shoulder. The arch of her collarbone came to her neck, her long, slender neck where the skin looked softer than silk.

My eyes wandered up to her face. I wished I could see her eyes. They always enchanted me, mesmerized me. I would have to make due for now though.

Her lips curled in the corners ever so slightly. I wondered what she was dreaming about. Her nose twitched and I resisted the urge to chuckle. She took in a deep breath and let it out as a sight. I smiled. Her eyes fluttered open and my heart froze.

Her eyes went wide as she as she shot up into a half-sitting position. "Endy, what are you doing here?" she exclaimed.

My mouth dropped open and for a few moments I was speechless. She was sitting on her hip, leaning against her arms. The way her body was place she was right in front of the open door to the balcony, the sun giving her a partial silhouetted look. Her hair glows in the sun a rich gold, the sleeve of her nightgown was still off her shoulder, and her eyes glittered.

"I-I..." I swallowed. "Y-you were having a bad dream," I stammered. She lost her shocked expression and replaced it with one of curiosity. I must have been quite the sight, my hair disheveled, shirt rumpled and hanging half open, not being able to get out a proper sentence...

"A bad dream?" she asked. Yes, I could work with this!

"Yes, a bad dream. You were screaming and crying, so I came to see what was happening." I bit the inside of my cheek as she touched her face, probably trying to see if she really had been crying. "You calmed down though and went back to normal sleep," I quickly continued.

"How long have you been here?" she asked. She looked like she was trying to remember what dream she had.

"Not too long," I replied as I stretched myself out beside her, leaning on my elbow. "Do you remember what you were dreaming?" I wanted her to start thinking about something other then me, since she was bound to figure out I hadn't just stood there when she was crying but had touched her to calm her down.

She sighed and leaned against her pillows, closing her eyes. "I remember dreaming I was back on the Moon," she replied quietly, "and there was someone chasing me. They were getting closer and closer, and when they finally caught up to me they suddenly disappeared. I felt safe all of a sudden, and warm. There was someone else there," she paused, a light blush creeping across her cheeks. "I wasn't scared anymore," she concluded hastily, opening her eyes.

"Do you know who any of the people were?" I prodded.

She stared at me and then brought her hand up, laying it against my face. It was something she did every so often when we were alone, something that still made my blood heat up. "I couldn't see any faces," she murmured softly. She never said she didn't know who they were. She just said she couldn't see their faces.

I closed my eyes and leaned my face into her hand. I heard her take in a sharp breath and her hand stiffened. I smiled and opened my eyes again, allowing my gaze to wander to her eyes. "I was worried about you," I said. "You sounded very scared."

She nodded, allowing her hand to relax. "I was," she replied. I closed my eyes again and turned my head so that my cheek rubbed against her palm. This time she didn't gasp and her hand stiffened only momentarily.

"Endy," she whispered. "I-" There was a soft knock on the door and we both froze. Serenity tore her hand from my face and straitened up.

"Who is it?" she called out. There was a pause before the person spoke.

"Motoki, your grace," I heard Motoki say, the uneasiness in his voice very clear.

"What is it," she asked. There was another pause and I could just picture him debating on what to say.

"You're grace, I-I...I was wondering if you knew when the ladies down the hall wanted to be woken up. Princess Rei and Princess Mina."

I almost laughed at Motoki's bluffing. At least he was quick.

"Luna was to wake them," Serenity replied.

"Thank you, your grace," Motoki replied before we heard the sound of retreating feet and the sound of his door being shut.

Serenity and I looked at each other. "Well that was odd," I said nonchalantly as I sat up and stretched my arms out. "I suppose it's time that I go and get ready for the day," I said.

Serenity nodded. "All right. I'll see you at breakfast."

I nodded as I stood. "Yes, I 'll see you then."

As I left the room and entered my own, I let my breath out with a whoosh. That had been close.

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The day went by fairly quickly. The sky was grey all day and a wind started to pick up in the late afternoon. Rain followed the wind, and by the time dinner was over, there was a storm brewing outside. Serenity came with me to my room after dinner for a quick game of chess before going to bed.

I escorted Serenity to the seat in front of the chess board. She was tense and high strung, always looking to the windows and listening to the howling wind. "Are you afraid of storms?" I asked her teasingly as I sat down across from her.

She looked at me, her eyes wide. "There are no storms on the Moon," she said quietly. "I've never seen this."

"Well there are storms here every so often. They're not too bad thou-" A crack of thunder shook the palace and lightning lit the night sky. Serenity screamed, jumping up from her seat. I was on my feet in a flash. "Are you all right?" I asked as she stood there, clutching her hands to her chest, breathing deeply, staring out the window.

"What was that?" she whispered.

"Thunder and lightning," I replied. "You'll hear and see it again soon."

I saw her shiver as she sank down into the chair again, tearing her eyes from the window. She started staring at the chess board. I felt bad for her. I could still remember how storms had frightened me until I was about seven. I hoped that I could get her mind off the storm as I moved out my pawn and she reached for her knight. Another bolt of lightning shook the palace. She cried out again and covered her ears.

"It's ok!" I said quickly, not knowing how to comfort her. She looked so fragile and helpless just sitting there, and I just wanted to scoop her in my arms and take her somewhere where there were no storms to frighten her. Slowly, she took her hands away from her ears and slowly brought her eyes up to look at me. Her eyes were swimming with both curiosity, fear, tension, anxiety, and distress.

"I don't think I like storms," she whispered.

I nodded and then stood up from the chess board. "I don't think there's much use in trying to play," I murmured. There was no way she was going to concentrate on it. I held out my hand. She placed hers on mine and stood up. That was something else she was slowly allowing me to do, to help her from her seats. It was something that had been going on for only about a week. I loved it, so did she apparently. Her thirst was increasing.

As she straitened from her chair there was another rumble of thunder, causing her to shriek and fling herself at the closest thing, which just to happened to be me. I instinctively wrapped my arms around her, hoping to shield her from the sounds and vibrations. The air was filled with static, I could feel it, and I didn't' doubt that she could do.

She froze and looked up at me, terror in her eyes. It pained me to think she still thought I was going to hurt her. My eyes pleaded with her not to be frightened. Another flash of light lit the room and she buried her face in my chest again, letting go of her fear of me and letting the fear of the storm replace it. I could feel her heart pounding in her chest and her body heating with her rushing blood. I tightened my hold on her until the next rumble of thunder passed.

Not wanting to stand in that spot all night, I slowly let go of her. "You're sleeping in here tonight," I informed her as I took her hand and started to lead her to the bed. "The storm is going to keep going all night and I don't want to be running to and from your room every two minutes."

She stiffened and I could feel the panic inside her. I realized then I had taken her hand without asking, I had touched her, and I could feel her want to pull away and scream. I looked at her and tugged on her hand. In all honesty I was amazed she wasn't already screaming. It showed, though, that my plan was slowly working. Still, she remained frozen on the spot. Not wanting to force her too much, I let go of her hand and flung back the covers on the bed. I quickly slipped off my boots and sat on the bed, swinging my legs up onto it and scooting over so she had room too. I laid my hand across the pillows and pointed to the spot beside me.

Serenity stood there, staring at me with wide eyes. For the first time I felt a strong surge of frustration, seeing her there with such hesitancy that screamed a lack of trust in me. I gave a low growl in my throat. "I'm not going to hurt you." I started to wonder how long it would take before she finally got that through her head.

There was another flash of lightning and thunder. Serenity gave out a yelp as she scurried onto the bed and over to me. I quickly brought the covers up over both of us. I left my arm around Serenity's shoulders as she huddled her body to mine, draping her hand over my stomach and holding onto the fabric of my shirt. Her whole body was trembling, and I didn't know whether to attribute it more to the storm or to the fact that she was in bed with me.

I let out a sigh and held still. Each time there was thunder and lightning she would press herself closer to me, hiding her face in my shoulder. I started to stroke her arm.

"Endy," she whimpered, and I could feel her tense up even more.

"Shh, it's ok," I murmured. "I'm not going to do anything else." I gave a comforting tug on the heart string, and it seemed to work. She gave one back, and I relaxed. At least she wasn't going to bolt or start hurtling things at me.

The storm raged for another hour or so before it started to slowly clam down. The time between the lightning strikes got bigger and bigger. Along with that, Serenity began to relax.

"You know," she said sleepily. "I don't think I'll be able to fall asleep here."

I grinned, noticing how she was already starting to relax in my arms. "You sure?" I asked.

She nodded but said nothing. After another hour the thunder and lightning had stopped altogether. The rain could still be heard pelting the windows, but the wind had died down as well.

"Usagi?" I whispered. There was no reply. Only deep breathing. I smiled as I placed my lips on the top of her head. She was sound asleep, oblivious to the fears she had only a few hours before. I squeezed her gently towards me, savoring the feeling of her warmth.

She moaned quietly from her sleep as I shifted us so that I could be laying down too. Her head was still nestled on my shoulder, her hand across my stomach. I brought the blankets up higher so her shoulders would be covered. "Endy?" she murmured from her sleep.

"Mmhmm?"

"I love you," she whispered.

I was sure my heart froze in my chest. From the way she was laying and breathing I knew she was still asleep, but the admonition was so sincere, so heartfelt...I swallowed hard and planted my lips on her forehead roughly. Had she really said those words? I felt giddy. She had just told me, albeit unconsciously, that she loved me. Maybe this was the first real step in breaking down her barriers. I felt my muscles quiver. Slowly I pulled away, my heart thudding and my head feeling lighter than air.

"I love you too," I whispered. It was true. I don't know how it happened, but it did. Holding her in my arms felt right, natural, comfortable, just as comfortable as talking to her to spending time in silence with her. She did something to me that made me feel complete. Granted it wasn't a fierce passionate love, I could not claim that...at least, not yet. One step at a time.

She snuggled in closer as I wrapped both my arms around her, giving a silent promise to keep her safe during the night, and then fell into a peaceful slumber myself.

I knew that things were going to get very interesting.

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_A/N: I hope this chapter was more to all of your liking..._

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_Disclaimer_

_I do not own the rights to Sailormoon or any of the characters. That honour belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, and I am simply a lowly author who can use her characters for my plots._

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	10. 9: Open Door

**Chapter 9**

**Open Door**

To the outside world, Usagi seemed to be my wife in every aspect. We had our meals together, enjoyed each others company, attended social gatherings together, talked freely and comfortably with one another, and now even shared the same bedroom.

However, once the doors of the bedroom closed, the actions that occurred behind them were on the border of being only platonic. Still, soon we would be married for nearly a whole year, and it was comforting to see that she trusted me enough to sleep with me. Sleep, that's all.

Her former Senshi came to visit her every so often. She always enjoyed their company and it pleased me to have them come to the Earth. Her friendship with Naru grew as well, and Anne tried her best to be civil and friendly with her.

"Endy," Usagi said to me as we finished off breakfast on our balcony, "do you think we could go and visit the Moon sometime soon? I miss it, and I would love to see mother again. It's harder for her to come here than it is for us to go there."

A gentle breeze swept by us as I nodded. "When would you like to go?"

"As soon as possible!" she exclaimed. "I'm sure that my mother wouldn't mind a surprise visit at any time."

I chuckled. "I can see that you have not yet warmed to the earth as your home yet," I teased.

Usagi put on a pout. "You know I like it here. I would just like to see my old home again."

"I know," I replied, giving her a reassuring smile. "Shouldn't we send her a letter first though, or a messenger, to announce our arrival?"

"No, she won't mind if we just come. She never minded when visitors came unexpectedly or if someone came incognito. We can come anytime we want, don't worry."

I pondered this as I took a bite of my bread. "How about we leave tomorrow morning then?" I asked, since I knew mother and father had nothing planned for the next few days. I had actually requested their leave to go with Usagi to the Moon, but I didn't know it would be so soon.

"Tomorrow?" Usagi asked, the excitement in her voice giving away her joy at the prospect.

"Yes, tomorrow. I'm sure we can have our things packed by then, and I'll send word first thing this morning for a small ship to be prepared."

Usagi squealed and jumped from her chair, running behind me to wrap her arms around my shoulders in a hug. I had to quickly set down the glass I was about to drink from to keep the orange juice from spilling onto my lap. "Thank you," she murmured in my ear,

I brought my hand up and gave her arm a light squeeze. She leaned a little harder against me before releasing her grip and sliding her arms away from me. There was a knock on the door to our room as she sat herself back down. "Enter," I called out, and waited as we heard the door open, close, and then the sound of someone approaching the balcony.

"Endymion, Serenity, good morning!" Motoki exclaimed as he walked out onto the balcony.

"Good morning Motoki," Usagi chirped. "Did you sleep well?"

'Yes, I did," he replied, flashing her a smile.

I couldn't help but grin. Motoki had been able to establish a good friendship with Usagi over the past six months, and his insight into her had proven to be very useful to me. I could see that he cared for her deeply, like a sister. He was always watching out for her, and I think he had arranged, in one way or another, for Alan to be around Usagi as little as possible. At times it almost seemed like he was more protective of her than I was.

"What brings you here, Motoki?" I asked, wiping my mouth with my napkin.

"Am I not allowed to come and bid you good morning?" he asked.

"You are, but you usually don't do so until after breakfast time."

"My apologies. If you like I can leave until you are finished."

"No, stay," Usagi ordered, pointing to a chair. "Do you want some tea, Motoki?"

"Please," he replied and watched as Usagi picked up the teapot and slowly poured the steaming liquid into a cup.

"So what has prompted this early morning visit?" I inquired again, knowing there was more to it than he was telling me.

"I can't believe how suspicious you are, Endymion. Thank you," Motoki replied as he took the tea cup from Usagi. "Honestly, one would think that you have no trust in me."

I raised my hands in exasperation. "Fine, I give up. Enjoy your tea."

Motoki took a sip from his cup before nestling it in his hands. "Well you know, since you've mentioned it, there was something I wanted to tell you," he murmured with a cheeky grin. I couldn't help but roll my eyes as my fingers drummed the table impatiently.

"Motoki, don't be such a tease," Usagi ordered with a grin. "Can't you see you're getting Endy angry?"

Motoki chuckled and set his teacup back down. "All right, I'll stop teasing." He turned to look at me. "There's an unexpected group of ships coming towards Earth, and they have sent a small messenger ship ahead to request if they can come here to speak with your father."

I had to admit that my interest was perked. "You have no idea where the ships are from?"

He shook his head. "None at all. No one seems to know, not even his Majesty. The messenger said very little, only that they wanted to land here safely and that they posed no threat to the Earth."

"Has my father allowed it already?" I asked.

"Yes, they are approaching the Earth as we speak, but they probably won't land here until late in the afternoon or possibly the early evening. He sent out a small vessel to asses how many ships are approaching and whether or not they are in any way threatening."

I glanced at Usagi who was paying attention to every word. "It looks like we might not get to go for that ride tonight," I told her and she nodded.

"That's fine. Your father will want you probably to be with him tonight."

I smiled at her. I hated breaking plans with her, but I was glad she was understanding. My mind was already on the evening though. Who was coming? What could these mysterious visitors want? I would have to wait and see.

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Motoki was right, it was dusk when the ships finally arrived on the Earth. The vessel my father had sent arrived an hour before them, reporting that there were only about half a dozen ships with no visible ability to do any damage or pose any threat.

Motoki went to greet the newcomers, as well as conduct a thorough search of their few ships, while father and I waited for them in the study. They had not wanted a formal hearing but rather something informal. My father was more than happy to comply with the request, since it meant we didn't have to arrange the whole court for the evening for a last minute hearing. Still, feeling a little warry of the unannounced, unknown people, the room was lined with guards, enough to show caution, not so many as to show morbid fear and suspicion.

"So you and Serenity wish to go to the Moon tomorrow morning, correct?" my father asked. He was sitting on the sofa opposite the chair I was sitting in.

I nodded. "She's anxious to visit her mother again. I don't blame her, it's about time that we went there for a visit."

"Send our greetings to Selenity as well, and don't forget to take those letters with you. Invite her here at her convenience too. She has not visited us in some time and it would be nice to see her again," he said cheerfully.

I smiled. "I'll be sure to arrange for a time for her to visit."

"When do you think you'll be--" he started to ask but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Two weeks probably," I replied quickly as we stood from our seats and faced the doors. I saw father smile before he straitened his face and called for whoever was knocking to enter.

The doors swung open and Motoki walked in with a man and woman, followd by another half a dozen guards. "Your Majesties, allow me to present our visitors, Lord Rubeus and Lady Esmeraude." Obviously, nothing had been found on them or on their ships to pose any sort of threat.

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_He walked through the hallways, wary of servants and courtiers milling about. There were few, and most of them simply bowed or curtsied and then left him be. He was glad for that; he didn't wish to stop to speak with anyone. _

_The hallway led him to a corner, one which he rounded and was greeted with a panoramic view of a garden, with the glittering sky of stars above it. Normally he would have stopped to admire the beauty presented to him, but not tonight._

_The doorway at the end of the hall beckoned to him. She was there, waiting. A smile touched his lips as his long legs carried him to the door, his black hair shininng in the moonlight._

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The man bowed and the woman curtsied as we bowed. "It is a pleasure to have visitors here," father began. "It is rare to have such a pleasant surprise."

"Your Majesty is too kind," Lord Rubeus said gallantly as he inclined his head deeply. "We hope we are not imposing or causing you any kind of inconvenience."

I stared at the two as they exchanged pleasantries with father. Something about their names was ringing a bell in my mind, as was their appearance, but I was sure I had never met either of them. Rubeus had strikingly red hair and his eyes glittered with what seemed almost like mischievousness. The woman was calm and regal though, with long hair and a large feathered fan she gently swayed with her hand.

"Shall we sit?" father finally asked, motioning towards the seats around the fire. The two nodded and we all went to sit. Motoki bowed and said he would go and order the refreshments to be brought in.

"We hope that you are not encountering any problems in your traveling that has forced you to land here," I said as we settled ourselves down ."If your ships are in need of any repairs or supplied we would be more than happy to comply with your needs."

The woman smiled a dazzling smile at me. "Thank you for your kind offer, Prince Endymion. Our ships are fine though. We only wished to stop here for a small visit and discuss a few things with your Majesties." She paused and glanced around the room. "Will your lady wives not be joining us?" she asked.

Father shook his head. "To be honest, we didn't think there would be any other ladies present. As far as we knew this was simply a very informal meeting. The Queen was feeling a little under the weather after dinner as well and asked for you to excuse her absence. Princess Serenity is busy organizing the packing for a trip she and my son are taking."

Lady Esmeraude smiled. "It is no problem, your Majesty. I was merely curious." Her eyes glittered for a moment but then she switched her gaze to her companion. "I can handle being the only woman here."

"If you like I'm sure that I could find some fine ladies to oblige and come sit with us for a while," I offered, but Lady Esmeraude shook her head and looked back at me.

"Thank you, Prince, but I'm all right. Please don't trouble your self for me."

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_The room was finally quiet. Usagi breathed a sigh of relief as the door finally closed behind the last of the maids. For the past few hours she had been instructing a few of the girls on what to pack, and packed a few things herself, but now she was alone. Giving a small sigh she walked around the room and blew out all the candles. It was dark outside, but the full moon shone so that there was still enough light in the room to be able to move around without the need for candles. The dying embers of the fire didn't do much to help, but they did give the room a warmth._

_Usagi quickly changed into a nightgown. She was tired and the next day would be a long one probably. Her heart skipped a beat with excitement. Tomorrow she would be going back to the Moon, to her mother, to Luna and Artemis._

_Luna had left a month before to go back to the Moon to be with Artemis. Five months was a long time to be separated from him, and Usagi felt enough at ease on the Earth now, that she didn't need her guardian with her all the time. Also, she had befriended Naru and Anne, and they helped fill her time nicely. _

_Usagi walked over to the balcony doors and peered outside, wrapping her arms around herself. She loved Naru dearly, the girl was always ready to talk, go for strolls in the gardens, go riding, and a million other things. Usagi felt a strong attachment to her and was very grateful she had met her. Anne, on the other hand, despite being friendly and helpful, always seemed drawn back and cold. Usagi could never really pin point the hostility nor could she explain it, but it was always there, and it irked her a bit. She tried to be warm and friendly to her, always open and obliging, but even so, Anne always seemed distant._

_Alan had been away for a couple of months on some business, something which Usagi thanked the stars for. He seemed to be the opposite of Anne, so much so that Usagi felt uncomfortable in his presence. He was very kind and warm and open, but almost too much so. His attentions were often on the verge of flirtation or seduction, and Usagi didn't like that._

_The door creaked open and Usagi heard someone entering. She glanced over her shoulder. Endy was back._

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"Thank you," Lord Rubeus said as one of the maids handed him a goblet of wine. She gave a curtsey and stepped away from us. The other two girls with her gave curtsies as well before gathering their trays and leaving the room.

Father took a drink before setting his goblet on the table next to him. "So tell me, my Lord, what has prompted this unexpected visit? Where are you two from?"

"We have come here on behalf of our Prince, your Excellency, to establish some sort of foundation for a possible peace treaty between our two nations," Rubeus replied, causing both my father's ane my eyebrows to rise.

"Well, that is worth a visit, isn't it?" father asked, straitening in his seat. "But would it not be best for us to have a more formal discussion for that with a group of councillors and generals?"

"By all means, we do not wish to put anything in stone today. We merely wish to extend a friendly hand tonight, for the possibility of such a meeting and treaty occuring," Esmeraude replied smoothly.

Father nodded. "We are always more than happy to meet and acquire new friends and alliances. You mentioned you were here on behalf of your Prince. What of your King and Queen? Do they not wish the alliance?"

"We have no King and Queen. Our Prince is our king, only he cannot be called that until he has a Queen. Only then can he have the title and powers of a King," Rubeus explained.

"I see," father said. "Pray tell, who is your Prince, and where do you come from? You have guarded that information as a great secret since the deployment of your messenger."

"My apologies for that, your Majesty. We were not sure how welcome our arrival would be if we gave that information right away," Rubeus said. "We are from a Moon kingdom about two weeks travel from here. Our Prince is acquainted with you, Prince Endymion. You have met before."

I tilted my head. "I have?" I asked, searching my memory for who they could be referring to. There was only one Prince form a distant Moon kingdom I could remember being acquainted with but there was no way these two ambassadors could be from him---

"Yes, though I don't think that you and Prince Diamond left of on good terms last time you met."

Yup, it was him. I could feel my blood beginning to boil even though I hd not seen the bastard in nearly a year. I could see father tense visibly as well. This meeting had suddenly taken a sour turn.

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_Usagi watched as her tall, dark haired husband closed the door behind him. The moonlight made his hair shine in the darkness. "How was the meeting?" Usagi asked as he started to walk towards her. All he did was shrug his shoulders. He looked rigid, tense, something Usagi didn't like. She looked back out the glass panned door at the stars, trying to think of something to cheer him up._

_"Everything is packed for tomorrow," she announced. "We can leave first thing in the morning._

_She felt Endy stop just behind her and he placed his hands on her shoulders, his grip tighter than usual. A frown formed on Usagi's face. The meeting must have been unpleasant for him to be so tense. She felt him pull her back a little so that she was leaning against his chest, a move that was new. She tensed ever so slightly, but pushed the feeling aside. For goodness sake, they were sleeping together, it didn't matter if he hugged her. Sure enough, his arms snaked around her shoulders and he held her closer. _

_Usagi let herself relax. Her lips turned up into a small grin and she gave a playful tug on their heartstring and felt her heart leap in her chest. _

_But other than that, nothing happened. _

_There was no sharp intake of breath from Endy, no tightening of the arms, no chuckle, nothing._

_Usagi gave another tug._

_Still nothing._

_"Endy," she whispered, "are you all right?" _

_He leaned his head against hers and nodded. Usagi felt a little skeptical about his response but before she had any time to dwell on the thought, she felt a puff of warm air on her neck and the sensation of two lips kissing her neck rather sensuously._

_Usagi's breath caught in her throat. _

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I clenched my hands and I knew that father noticed my change in mood right away. He gave me a sharp look before looking back at Rubeus and Esmeraude. "I know, as well as I'm sure you do, why your Prince and my son are not on good terms. I hope that you have some more information than this to relay to us and some explanations as to what you expect of us. "

"Was Diamond too afraid to show his face here?" I asked, feeling the venom dripping from my own words. "Was he afraid that I would kill him the moment he came within sight of the planet?

"Endymion," I heard my father mutter. "Leave this to me. Your anger shows too much."

"I believe that for once my anger is justified," I retorted, but did shut my mouth nevertheless and allowed him to handle the situation.

"I must agree with my son that it is rather...unexpected, your coming her so casually. However, I will hear you out. What exactly is it that you wish to tell us?"

I stared at the two visitors, my irritation and annoyance with their presence growing steadily.

Suddenly, I felt a tug on my heart and drew in my breath sharply. Usagi was calling to me, her urgency playful and light. I almost cracked a smile, but managed to remain emotionless. As nice as it was to have her calling to me so, it was odd that she was doing so when she knew I was in a meeting. Then I felt it again, another playful tug, this one more earnest. I put my hand to where my heart was to stop it's eager palpitations, to soothe its desire to have me run to Usagi at that very moment. My mind wasn't even on what Rubeus was saying so I tried to quickly re-focus my attention.

"---and yes, there were many things that transpired on the Moon that should never have happened, and in that regard----Prince Endymion!" Rubeus gave a startled gasp as I shot to my feet, my heart beating furiously in my chest. Usagi had pulled the string taught. She was in trouble.

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_This was not like Endymion and Usagi felt a wave of panic pass through her. That was when she realized what felt off: the heart string she and Endy shared, was not going to the man behind her. She pulled the string taught. "Endy?" she whispered. _

_"Hmm?" he murmured. _

_This was not Endymion. Usagi felt her panic reach a maximum as she tensed up completely and opened her mouth to scream. Every nerve, every fibre of her being was on the edge and she felt like she was being pulled in all directions at the same time. As her voice was about to pierce the air, a hand clamped over her mouth as the arm around her shoulder tightened into a death grip. Usagi felt like she was about to die._

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"Where are you going?" I heard my father call after me as I ran to the door.

"Serenity's in trouble," I called over my shoulder as I burst through the doors with Motoki right behind. We sprinted through the castle, with me following Usagi's thread. She was in our room, that much I could tell, so I poured all my energy into my legs and willed them to move faster. Servants looked at me curiously as I ran.

I rounded the corner of the hall and made a final sprint towards the door. In one fluid motion I wrenched it open and burst into the room.

The room was empty.

The door to the balcony was wide open, allowing a gentle breeze to blow through the room. It was empty though, and I could see the sparkle of a golden thread going out the window, into the night sky.

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_--Disclaimer--_

_I do not own the rights to Sailormoon or any of the characters. That honor belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, and I am simply a lowly author who can use her characters for my plots._

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	11. 10: Questions and Concerns

_A/N: As much as I hate to admit it, this chapter is short. It was shorter and I added more, but the rest simply must be left for the next few chapters. I don't think I'll have more than 20 in total for the whole story, but considering the fact this was supposed to be ONLY a 10 chapter story...well, 20 isn't too bad, now is it ? Hopefully this one will raise a few questions. _

_Anja.

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**Chapter 10**

**Questions and Concerns

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I raked my hand through my hair for the millionth time. That bastard, that undeserving mass of quivering flesh, that putrid prince of the bloody black moon, had done it again; he had managed to hurt Usagi, and there had once again been nothing I could do to stop him. The worst part was that I could not prove anything. Prince Diamond had not set foot on the Earth, and there was no way I could prove that Rubeus and Esmeraude had been sent as distractions.

I raked my hand through my hair again. I had wanted to leave and go after her right away, which my father allowed me to do. I had been able to go out only for a few hours before father decided she was too far and we had to head back to get a larger fleet, more supplies, and a plan. That was where I was now, in a room, waiting for father to get in, and to make a plan.

I did mention he was making the plan, correct? I could volunteer my opinions, but somehow I didn't think my father would be too impressed with my ideas of how to take the Prince and chop him up into little itty bitty pieces and then...I growled in frustration. Oh how I could make him hurt.

The door swung open and a small group of men walked in, led by father. I stood, ready to hear anything he had to say.

"Sit down, Endymion," he ordered. I sat. Well, that was easy.

I watched as he sat down, as did the others who had come into the room with him: Motoki, General Kunzite, General Zoisite, General Nephrite, and General Jaedite. "We will have a fleet ready to leave in a couple of hours," father began, "and I'm assuming you wish to accompany it, since you have the best way of tracking her down. I fear that I cannot go with you since I don't know how long you'll be gone, but you will be joined by these fine men."

I kept staring at him. "How long will the supplies last us?" I asked, unable to think of any other question that didn't involve how I was allowed to hurt Prince Diamond.

"About a month or so, but you will have sufficient funds to re-supply if you need to," he paused and gave me a sharp look. "I don't want you starting up a war needlessly. Go and find out what happened to her and try to negotiate for her safe return. If there needs to be bloodshed you will consult with me first, is that clear?"

I nodded. "Very."

"Good. Go get some sleep now, in a few hours you depart."

I almost laughed. Me? Sleep? Now? Impossible. "I'll try," I replied, and stood from my seat. The four generals bowed to me and Motoki followed me out of the room. We walked in silence until we reached our rooms.

"Are you going to be able to sleep?" Motoki finally asked as I was reaching for my door knob.

"Probably not."

"Do you want me to keep you company for a while then?"

"Aren't you tired? It is nearly morning."

Motoki shook his head. "I don't think I'll be able to sleep either. I'm worried about her too."

I nodded in understanding and opened the door, leading the way into the room. Motoki followed and closed the door behind us. A cheerful fire was crackling in the hearth, so we didn't need to light any candles.

I strolled over to the two chairs before the hearth and sank down into the overstuffed cushions. It pained me to see how miserably thin the golden thread was, as though it was about to snap like a spiders web. She was far away, and I didn't know where. At least I had some way of finding her.

Motoki sat down next too me. He looked just as worried as I felt, his face betraying his thoughts and feelings. "We'll find her," I told him, trying to reassure myself as much as I was trying to reassure him.

Motoki gave me a weak smile. "I'm still worried though."

"I know. I have an irksome feeling that we should have seen this coming somehow." I ran my fingers through my hair, which must have looked like a rats nest already.

"Do you still have you connection?" Motoki asked.

"It's weak, but it's there. I can't ever lost it, not unless she was dead." There was an eerie silence that followed my statement. Dead. It hadn't even crossed my mind, and suddenly, in a twisted, wrong way, I was grateful that it was Diamond who had abducted her and not some other lunatic. He, at least, wouldn't try to harm her.

"Well then let's pray to all the gods that connection doesn't disappear," Motoki murmured.

I nodded. "I don't think it will. Diamond wouldn't try to kill her."

"Are you positive he's the one to blame?"

"Why else would he have sent Rubeus and Esmeraude here? They are his subjects."

"How did they do it, though? How did they get Serenity out of here?"

I shrugged. "I have no clue."

"Well, your father said he was going to question them extensively after we left. You know, a very thorough search was done of their ships, and all of them are accounted for, so I really don't think we can pin the blame on them."

"There has to be something, something we're missing, but I just don't know what."

Both of us lapsed into silence.

I couldn't shake the feeling that we should have seen this coming and that there was some vital information we didn't have. It had been all too easy for whoever took her to do so. How did they know where to find her, and how had they known she would be alone? Was it a group of people, or just one, and how had they escaped out the window unnoticed? Something was off, but what? My head hurt from the barrage of questions it was creating,

Why had she been calling to me so playfully before though? That bothered me the most. She knew I was in a an important meeting with father, yet she still tugged at my heart. It didn't bother me that she did so, but she never tried to gain my attention when she knew I was in a meeting that she didn't attend. It was as if she though that I wasn't there, but that didn't make sense; she knew for a fact that I was with father.

Why had she been so earnest to gain my attention? I raked my fingers through my hair. Why?

I closed my eyes and concentrated on our link. I could still tell that Usagi was frightened. As thin as it was, the thread was still being held taught, as if she was pleading me to come and help her. I cracked my knuckles absentmindedly as I opened my eyes again and stared into the dancing flames. Was it possible that I was wrong, that Diamond had nothing to do with her disappearance? That was very unlikely. It was just too much of a coincidence that ships from his planet arrived on the same day as Usagi was taken. Things still didn't make complete sense, and I only hoped that time would reveal what had happened.

Motoki suddenly leaned forward in his seat. "I just remembered there's something I want to do before we leave. Do you mind if I go for a while?"

I waved my hand. "No, not at all," I replied and watched as he stood and walked to the door. "Say good-bye to Naru for me as well," I called out just as he was exiting. He paused mid step, gave me a sheepish grin over his shoulder, then closed the door behind him.

I let out a sigh and went back to my musing about how I could paper cut his entire body, millimeter by millimeter, and soak him in vinegar and lemon juice before tearing off his limbs and then...

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I exited Endymion's room and quickly made my way through the dimly lit hallway. Dawn was starting to break over the horizon, and I knew I didn't have much time. Everyone was anxious to get going, but I wanted to see her before I left.

I reached her chambers without even really noticing the trip there. I breathed a small sigh of relief when I saw the light seeping out from beneath the door. At least she was still awake and I didn't have to worry about waking her. I knocked softly and heard the padding of small feet. My heart sped up but I remained calm.

"Who is it?" came Naru's voice from the opposite side.

"Motoki," I replied, noting the fact that her voice had been quivering. The sound of a lock clicking followed my name and the door opened a little, revealing a tearful Naru. "Naru!" I exclaimed, worry overtaking me right away. She had started to shed tears soon after she had heard Serenity was missing, but I had been helpless to do anything since I had to perform many duties and tasks to prepare for the trip. Now, though, I was free to speak with her, to try and comfort her.

"Have they found her yet?" she asked, opening the door wider so that I could enter. I shook my head sadly and followed her into the room. It was inappropriate, and I had only come to say goodbye, but her sad features and mournful aura forced me to push all my doubts of propriety aside. She closed the door behind us and walked over to the window."I'm worried about her, Motoki," she whispered, clasping her hands to her chest.

I walked over to her and recalled Endymion's words. "We'll find her," I murmured. It pained me to see her so upset, and I could tell that she had grown incredibly close to the princess over the past few months. I had seen them together and Naru's reaction now only propagated her feelings towards Serenity.

"Are you leaving with Prince Endymion?" she asked quietly.

"Yes. We're leaving in a short while," I replied. In a way I didn't want to leave her behind, but I was also determined to find Serenity. Besides, it wasn't as if Naru and I were...involved.

"Make sure you find her and keep him sane."

I would have chuckled had her words not been so serious. Instead, I touched her shoulder lightly. "I will."

Without warning she suddenly turned and flung herself at me, her arms wrapping themselves securely around my waist. A sob erupted from her throat as my own arms wrapped instinctively around her. I pressed her closer to me and leaned my forehead on the top of her head. Her quivering form held on to me, begging for the strength and support which I freely gave. My hand found its way to the back of her head where I stroked her hair gently, letting her pour our her worry. Her smell filled my senses and caused my mind to go numb as my heart accelerated yet again.

It would be hard to let go.

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Three hours later, the two men stood on the ship that was moving through the sky, one looking to the woman ahead of them, one yearning for the woman left behind.

Naru knew this as she stared out the window at the disappearing ship. The room was filled with guards, courtiers, engineers, crews, and servants. Everyone was either cleaning up or slowly filing out of the chamber.

Naru sighed and glanced next to her, at Anne. She was staring out the window as well. "I wonder how long it will take them to get back," she murmured, keeping her gaze fixed on the disappearing ships.

"Hard to say," Naru replied. "Hopefully soon, and with Serenity."

Anne didn't respond to the comment. Instead she kept gazing out. "It is a pity," she finally said quietly, her breath fogging the window. "I wonder how he managed to do it without making the Princess scream and cause commotion."

"Who?" Naru asked.

Anne looked at Naru. "The man who abducted the Princess from her room," she replied.

Naru shrugged. "I don't know. I don't think anyone knows."

Anne nodded and returned her gaze back out the window.

"I should go and get some sleep," Naru said finally, stifling a yawn. "I didn't sleep all night."

"Very well. I'll see you later," Anne said, giving her a smile.

Naru nodded and walked out of the chamber towards her room. She locked the doors behind herself and walked to the bed, flopping down without even changing. Her eyelids closed on their won accord as she snuggled herself under her blankets, the weariness in her muscles soaking into the sheets around her and out of her body.

_I hope they find you soon, Serenity. Motoki and Endymion will find you, don't worry._ Naru sighed. _It's too bad Endymion didn't get to your room in time to save you or see your abductor._

No other thoughts passed through her head before she was claimed by sleep.

* * *

_Disclaimer_

_I do not own the rights to Sailormoon or any of the characters. That honour belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, and I am simply a lowly author who can use her characters for my plots.

* * *

_

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* * *


	12. 11: Home BitterSweet Home

**Chapter 11**

**Home Bitter-Sweet Home **

The morning sun was trying to get into the room, I could feel it. I stretched my back and then curled into a ball, snuggling under the covers as much as I could. The soft sheets hugged me in a warm embrace, the way Endy did every morning. I smiled and turned over, fully expecting to bump into Endy and cuddle up with him. The bed next to me was empty.

I frowned and stretched my arm out, feeling around for his warm body. All I found was cold emptiness. I rolled onto my back, fully displeased that he had already left the bed. I stretched my arms above my head and finally willed my eyes to open. As my vision adjusted, I saw a sheer white canopy above me, tinged slightly pink. I smiled and closed my eyes again, then froze.

Pinkish-white canopy? Endy didn't have a canopy at all!

I shot up in bed and stared at my surroundings wildly. Well, the room wasn't unfamiliar, but it certainly wasn't Endy's room. I was in my room, that is, my room back on the Moon. How did I get to my old room?

I swung my legs out from under the covers and padded across the chamber to the window. I pulled back the curtains and allowed the sunlight to rush into the bedroom, illuminating everything. Yes, this was most definitely the Moon. there was the view I was so accustomed to of the gardens. The same statues, the same flowers, the same bushes, the same trees; everything was the same.

Feeling rather perplexed, I walked back towards the bed, making a detour on the way to the wardrobe. All my gown were there. I shut the doors and walked to the small adjoining washing room. I splashed some cool water on my face and ran a damp cloth over my neck, trying to clean away any remaining sleepiness. Once that was done I brushed my teeth and rinsed my mouth out, feeling more refreshed and ready to start pacing the room.

As I reached the bed for the fifth time on my trek between it and the wardrobe it hit me; Endy and I had been planning to come here! That was it, of course it was. We must have arrived late at night and gone right to bed.

Why didn't I remember the trip then? I twirled my hair around my finger, trying desperately to remember any scraps of the trip to the Moon, or even the preparations and departure. There was nothing though.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when the door opened. I screamed, making the person entering the room scream too.

"Serenity, what's going on!" the person demanded as we both stopped screaming.

I blinked at the figure of Luna standing before me. "Luna?" I said hesitantly. She didn't look very pleased as she clutched one of her hands to her chest, her bosom rising and falling rapidly.

"What are you doing, trying to scare me half to death?" she hissed, closing the door behind her.

"You surprised me," I retorted, sinking down onto the bed in a sitting position.

Luna strode over to the wardrobe. "I was just coming to wake you up, but I see I'm too late," she said as she took a dress from the wardrobe and walked over to me. I stood and took off the nightgown, slipping into the dress quickly and allowing Luna to do up the back. The routine was familiar and old, one we had done for years and years.

This time it was different though. "Luna, when did we get here?" I asked as she laced my back.

"What do you mean?" she asked me.

"I mean what time did the ships arrive last night?" I asked

"Oh, that," Luna paused as she finished tying the lace and nudged me in the direction of the vanity. "They arrived just after midnight."

I sat down on the chair and waited as Luna undid the braid my hair was in and began brushing the strands out.

"I don't remember it at all," I murmured, staring at my reflection in the mirror.

"Of course you don't," Luna replied matter-of-factly. "You were fast asleep. Goodness knows you can sleep through anything."

I still didn't understand why I didn't remember anything at all, not even leaving the Earth. I would have been excited to do that, and yet I could remember nothing at all...

"Your mother wants to see you before breakfast," Luna said as she put up my first bun.

"Why?" I asked, leaving my former train of thought. Well, of course she wanted to see me, it had been so long since we had seen each other. Yes, we had exchanged a number of letters, but that wasn't the same.

"You'll have to talk to her to find out," Luna replied. I noticed a small smile tug on her lips as she said this.

Everything seemed so strange yet familiar. Luna was treating me the same way she did before I left, performing our usual routine. Even when we had been on the Earth together she had treated me differently. I suppose it was nostalgia, bot of us on the Moon, in my old room...ahh the memories. The scenerio seemed too familiar though; something special was happening and we had been like this before? Ugh, I was going crazy.

"Luna," I said as she put up my second bun. "Where's Endy?" A confused look passed over Luna's features before we were interrupted by a knock on the door. I stood from the seat. "Enter," I called. It was going to be Artemis.

The door opened and a silver-haired Artemis poked his head in. "I'm just making sure Luna wasn't having too much difficulty getting our dear princess out of bed," he said cheekily, smiling at us. How had I known that? I suppose Artemis was simply too predictable for his own good. The sight of him made me smile though.

"Artemis!" I cried out as I dashed over to him, bouncing on my heels. I hadn't spoken with him since I had left the Moon, and I was happy to see him once again.

Artemis gave me a funny look. "Are you all right?" he asked.

I nodded. "Of course I am," I replied, getting an urge to hug him. It was the first time I had felt a need to touch a man since Endy and the feeling scared me.

"You seem rather energetic this morning," he finally said, smiling at me.

Well of course, I hadn't seen him in almost a year, and Luna in several months. Wasn't it natural for me to be excited to see them?

"Come, we should hurry along so your mother isn't waiting for you too long," Luna suddenly said as she escorted me back to the vanity and put a few finishing touches on my hair. I rolled my eyes but let her work nonetheless. Artemis stayed with us, waiting patiently while Luna primped me. When Luna finally finished with my hair I stood up again, ready to face the day.

I followed Luna and Artemis out the door and down the hallways. Servants that we passed bowed their heads and smile at me. I recognized each one, and I felt a sensation of joy spreading through me. It felt good to be home.

And yet, if felt odd to be home.

We reached my mother's library. It was one that she had for herself, one where she thought and studied alone. She was there in the mornings usually, composing letters and preparing for the day. I loved coming there, she always seemed so relaxed and at ease when she was in her own space.

We reached the room and Artemis knocked. I heard my mother call for us to enter before Artemis opened the door and allowed Luna and me to enter. Mother was standing next to one of the book cases lining the walls with one of the old tomes in her hands.

"Ahh, Serenity, good morning. Did you sleep well?" she said as she turned to look at us.

"Good morning. Yes, I slept fine. Apparently I slept through everything," I replied, feeling a wonderful ecstasy permeating through me. Mother! I had missed her so much.

Mother nodded as she closed the book and placed it back on the shelf, a smile spreading across her lips in the process. "Yes, you did. No one tried to wake you up though."

I walked over to her and wrapped my arms around her waist. She gasped a little as she automatically placed her own arms around my shoulders. "I missed you, mom," I whispered as I inhaled her fresh scent. I was suddenly very grateful that she had asked to see me before breakfast, so we could have an informal moment together.

"Missed me?" I heard her ask. "Whatever do you mean?"

I pulled back a little so I could look at her face, but kept my arms around her waist. "I've been gone so long," I stated, gazing up at her confused face.

"Where? Serenity, you haven't left the Moon yet."

My breath hitched in my throat as I let my arms drop to my sides. Mother's hands slipped to my shoulders as she gazed intently into my eyes. Hadn't left? "Of course I left," I started to say slowly. "I've been gone for months. On the Earth. Don't you remember?"

A look of pure concern filtered across mother's features. She placed one of her hands gently on my forehead. "Are you all right? You're not feeling ill, are you?"

"I feel fine," I replied, pulling away from her touch. "I just came back last night. You said yourself I slept through my our arrival."

"No, you slept through the arrival of our visitors. You've been in the palace the whole time," Luna said from behind me.

I glanced over my shoulder at her. "Luna? You don't remember? You were on the Earth with me though, you stayed there until a few months ago." What was going on?

I saw mother glance at Luna and Artemis worriedly. Artemis walked up to us. "Perhaps we should go and get you some breakfast," he said to me and placed his hand gently on my elbow.

That touch sent liquid fire rushing through my veins, a searing heat that threatened to devour me. My panic rose and I have a shriek, jumping away from Artemis as if I had been scalded by his skin. I could already feel tears forming in my eyes and running down my cheeks as I continued to whimper.

"Serenity! What is wrong with you?" I could faintly hear mother asking before I felt her arms around me. I let my sobs subside as she patted my back gently.

"My humblest apologies if I hurt you, Princess," I heard Artemis say, his words stinging. Of course he hadn't hurt me.

"Luna," mother said, "take her back to her room and make her lay down. Artemis, make sure breakfast is taken to her room along with plenty of water." She sighed deeply. "Maybe it's too soon," she whispered.

"Too soon?" Luna asked as she came up beside me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders, prying me away from mother.

"Too soon to introduce her to suitors. The excitement of their arrival must be too much for her right now."

I looked from one woman to the next frantically. "Suitors? Arrival? Now?" What was she talking about? I didn't need suitors, I was already married.

Luna and mother glanced at each other. "Yes, of course. We've been planning it for months, remember?" Luna asked. "You're being introduced to society this week."

I felt light headed and dizzy. Now I knew why everything felt so familiar, so odd. I had done it before, all those months ago, before I met Endy.

But how could this be?

I was given no time for thought as Luna led me to my room, just as mother had instructed. Artemis had disappeared, probably still in shock from my reaction to him. The hallways seemed endless as we walked, everything seemed unreal. I felt as if I was walking in a dream, yet I knew I was awake. Once Luna and I arrived at my room, I asked to be left alone. I needed to clear my head, clear my head and think.

As soon as I was in my room alone, after multiple interrogations from Luna as to whether or not I was all right, I flopped onto my bead and stared up at the gossamer curtains hanging above me. What was going on? It was as if I had been transported through time, or if everything that had happened up to that point had only been a dream.

Had it? No, it had felt so real, and my mind and body were still unwilling to let any male touch me, even Artemis. It had to have been real. Endy was my husband, I lived on the Earth.

I closed my eyes and rubbed my eyelids. I knew what I had to do; I had to call out to Endy, he would come and find me and make everything better. I focused and gave a tug on our heart string, that golden thread that would link Endy and me for all eternity.

My heart felt like it stopped beating and my breathing halted.

The string.

It was gone.

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_--Disclaimer--_

_I do not own the rights to Sailormoon or any of the characters. That honor belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, and I am simply a lowly author who can use her characters for my plots._

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_A/N: Well, I hope this chapter managed to put a little suspense and mystery into the story. Hopefully you liked it . Anja._


	13. 12: We Meet Again?

**Chapter 12**

**We Meet...Again?**

I sat in the cushioned chair on my balcony staring out into the gardens, trying to figure out what was going on. It seemed as if there really was nothing for me to figure out. I had dreamt a dream the night before that had seemed very real but was nothing more than what it really was; just a dream. It didn't seem possible that what I was currently experiencing was a dream, so I could only assume that I had been dreaming about Endy and the Earth.

Why did it bother me so much though? There was no link between him and me, which only furthered the notion that I had been dreaming, but even so, I could see in my mind's eye every detail clearly, as if it had happened only the day before. The feel of his warmth, the sound of his voice, the smell of his skin, the sight of his face...those were things I could not erase from my mind no matter how hard I tried, and all of them taunted me with unforgiving malice.

I sighed and closed my eyes, rubbing them gently. Artemis had been staying a good three feet away from me since the incident that morning, which didn't help me feel any better. Why was my fear still so strong if nothing had happened, if the situation with Prince Diamond never occurred? Even the thought of any man, besides Endy, touching me sent shivers up and down my spine. Oh sure, I knew that not everyone was like Prince Diamond and not every male of every species was out to take advantage of me or any other woman. I couldn't really explain the feeling I got. I tried to fight it, but no matter what I did or thought, I simply didn't feel safe anymore. I suppose part of it was that although not every man was like Prince Diamond, some were. Who were they? I had no way of knowing for sure.

Perhaps the dream I had had was a foretelling of events. It was quite possible that everything had been so real because it had been an epiphany, but I couldn't be sure of that.

Before I could let my mind wander any further there was a knock on my inner door. I rose from my seat reluctantly and walked into the room. The door opened silently as I pulled the handle, the hinges refusing to give way to any noise. Standing before me with a worried look on her face was mother.

"How are you feeling, Serenity?" she asked me as she scanned my face.

"I feel all right," I told her. "Just a little tired." It was true, I felt very tired. I didn't even know what day it was.

"Are you feeling well enough to go on that walk we had planned?" she inquired.

I nodded, not letting her see my surprise at the news of a walk couldn't remember planning. Besides, I felt fine, save for the confusion and fatigue. A walk would probably be a good idea since it would give my head a chance to clear out and perhaps start functioning properly again. In all honesty I didn't even know what day it was, much less that mother and I had a walk planned.

I walked next to mother down the corridor in silence. The hallways were bustling with activity, people walking everywhere, all seeming to have something to do. We stopped along the way every so often so mother could give a few instructions or deal with a few disputes, but eventually we did make it outside where Luna was waiting for us.

"Are you feeling better?" she asked me with a smile. The sunshine was bright and warm, making me feel more energized already.

"Yes. I don't know what was wrong with me this morning," I answered, taking in a deep breath of fresh air. "I feel better now, I think."

"If you start feeling odd again, you can always go back in," mother said gently as she placed a hand on my shoulder.

I nodded. "I will."

Mother and Luna smiled and we walked down the paths through the gardens. Flowers bloomed all around us, all enjoying the warm sunshine as much as we were. Everything seemed so calm. Yes, this had been a wonderful idea.

"Your Majesty," a voice from behind us called. We stopped our stroll and turned around to see Artemis approaching us. "Your Majesty, Luna, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but the ambassador from the Orion Nebula sent me with this message for your Grace." Artemis held a folded piece of paper out for mother to take, which she did. She scanned the contents quickly before folding the paper back up.

"I apologize, but it seems as though he needs to see us immediately, Luna. Serenity, do you mind if we leave you to finish the walk by yourself? Or would you like to go back inside?" she asked, looking sad to end our walk.

"I'll be fine by myself," I told her, giving her a cheerful smile. After all, I was at home, in the gardens, with plenty of people around and nothing to worry about except my own sanity. No problem. I could handle this.

Mother smiled and, after saying a few words, departed with Luna and Artemis at her heels. I, in the meantime, would resume my stroll. After all, there was no point in wasting the warm air and sunshine.

I smiled to myself as I walked with my hands clasped before me. Perhaps I should have told mother that all the ambassador was worried about was whether or not we had the proper sheets on the bed for his prince, since he was accustomed to sleeping on only a certain type of fabric. I chuckled, remembering mother's reaction when she had found out that's what it---wait!

I froze. How had I known that would happen? I thought back and remembered my 'dream.' Of course, in my dream the same thing had happened; mother, Luna, and I were out walking when Artemis came up to us and told mother he had a message for her from the Ambassador of the Orion Nebula. I shivered in the warm sunlight. The day was starting to be rather creepy.

I tried to think back to my dream and remember what would happen next. Mother and Luna had gone off and I had resumed my stroll, but I ran into someone and finished the walk with them.

"Princess Serenity, it is a pleasure to see you here," a smooth voice from behind me purred. I felt an icy chill run down my spine and every fibre in my body tensed. Yes, of course I had not finished the walk alone, a certain prince had joined me.

"Stay away from me!" I shrieked as I spun around. There he stood before me, his black eyes sparkling, his platinum hair swaying gently in the breeze. I could remember every detail of him clearly and precisely, the way one corner of his mouth curled into a smile more so than the other, how his onyx eyes studied me with the hunger of a predator, how his every move was graceful and calculated, smooth and precise.

He looked stunned at my reaction. "Is something wrong, Princess?" he asked with concern and sincerity I did not believe in.

"Just stay back," I ordered, holding my hands out in front of me as a barrier. He obeyed and even took an obligatory step backwards.

"My humblest apologies, Princess, if I have done something to offend you, though I fear I have no idea what I have done to cause such animosity," he said.

I couldn't find the strength to move. He hadn't done anything wrong, yet I couldn't shake the odd feeling that I had, one of loathing and discomfort of his presence. I wanted him to crawl under the nearest bush and die. Not very princess-like thoughts, but they suited me just fine at the moment.

We stood there, frozen, for the span of a few minutes. I almost felt like I was holding my breath the whole time as I stared at him staring at me. Finally, he broke the silence. "Perhaps you will allow me to introduce myself again. I am Prince Diamond, we met only a few days ago and have spoken only a handful of times."

I stared at him. "Why are you here?" I demanded.

"Rumors of your beauty reached me even in the far reaches of the galaxy, and I felt the need to come and see your radiance for myself. Along with that, stories of your kindness, grace, and goodness. I hope that this is all a misunderstanding and that you have mistaken me for someone else, since I would hardly wish to be in a dispute with your Grace so soon after our first informal meeting."

I blinked at him and slowly lowered my arms. Our first informal meeting? Talked only a handful of times? I felt like smacking myself in the head. Of course this was our first informal meeting. It had been such in my dream as well. He certainly didn't look dangerous, but he hadn't then either. I let my hands fall down to my sides. I was being unfair. He could not know I had such a dream, and the dream had already been slightly different from reality. I couldn't assume that he was the same as he had been the first time we met, so to speak.

I was still going to be cautious though. I still didn't trust him. "I'm sorry," I said finally. "It is my mistake."

A smile lit his features as he let out his breath. "I'm glad to hear it," he said, then paused as he glanced around at the flowers. "I saw your Grace walking alone and thought perhaps I could join you in your stroll."

I wanted to refuse. My mind was screaming at me to say no, my muscles were telling me to bolt, my heart was telling me to reject him... "I was just about to go back to the palace," I said, hoping he would take his leave.

"Then will your Grace please allow me to walk back to the palace with you?"

I gritted my teeth. Of course he wanted to walk me back. "Very well," I replied , and started to walk briskly in the direction of the palace. He matched his step to my own, keeping enough space between us for a pair of horses to pass by.

"I have never been to these parts of the galaxy," he stated as we walked. "I was pleasantly surprised at everything there was to see on the way here and upon our arrival."

I nodded. "It is a beautiful area." Being curt and polite was my aim, while not giving any hints that I wanted his person to be any closer to me.

"The people seem very kind too. Everyone is very obliging and hospitable," he added.

"Except for me, of course," I replied, half joking.

Prince Diamond laughed. "You are allowing me to walk with you, are you not?"

"I suppose."

"Then you have nothing to worry about."

I smiled. I didn't know why, but I smiled. He could be normal and charming when he wasn't trying to tear my clothes off. I smacked myself mentally once again; that had never happened and I had to stop thinking that it had.

"This must be a busy time for you. I hear that there are many visitors on the Moon," Prince Diamond said, breaking through my thoughts.

I nodded. "Yes, mother invited almost more people than the palace and city can hold."

The Prince clasped his hands behind his back. "Have you had a chance to speak with many of the visitors?"

"No, well, yes, I suppose. I have met everyone that has arrived. I've only been able to have conversations with a handful of them." A picture of Endy flashed through my mind and I found myself smiling. If my dream was true at all, then I would definitely be trying to find Endy and talking to him.

"Is your Grace looking forward to the ball tonight?" he asked me.

The ball? That was tonight? I shivered. "Yes," I lied. I was dreading it now, remembering what had happened before. I was starting to loath my own mind for creating such a dream, since now the lines of reality and imagination seemed so blurred.

"I shall see you there then," Prince Diamond said gallantly as he stopped walking.

I stopped as well and glanced before me, noticing that the palace doors were before me. I blinked in surprise. "Yes, until then," I finally said and curtsied to him. He bowed and I took my leave, entering the cool palace.

In my dream he had kissed my hand when we arrived back at the palace after a long stroll. This time he hadn't. Perhaps the dream that had me in it's grip wasn't as strong as it thought it was.

------------------------------------------------------------

All day I had tried to find him, and all day it seemed as though he had disappeared into thin air. Endy was simply nowhere to be found. Every so often, from a distance, I thought I caught sight of him, but by the time I reached the area he had been in, he was already gone.

Eventually I gave up, knowing that If I was patient I would see him that night at the ball. It was getting difficult searching for him anyway, with all the princes, kings, and lords milling about. I ended up making a lot of curtsies, since each time one of them started a conversation with me they would bow and try to kiss my hand. My mind was still not allowing that.

Finally I returned to my room. I hadn't been there ten minutes before there was a knock on my door. It was a soft tapping sound and I recognized it as mother's. I opened the door and let her in. She was already dressed in her formal evening wear.

"I thought we could spend a little time together. The past couple of weeks have been so hectic that we haven't been able to talk very much," she said as she motioned for me to sit at the vanity. I complied and sat patiently as she took out my hair and started to brush it out slowly.

"There are so many people here now," I remarked, unsure of what to say.

"Yes, there are. There are very many fine men out there, Serenity. I just hope that you will be able to choose one whom you'll be happy with."

I smiled. Of course I would, just as soon as I could actually get to him without him disappearing. "I will," I finally told her.

"Is there anyone you like in particular?" she asked me with a teasing smile on her face.

"Perhaps," I answered, feeling my cheeks warm up a bit.

Mother paused her brushing as she gazed at me in the mirror. "Who is he?"

"One of the visiting princes," I replied.

I laugh bubbled form mother's throat. "I assumed it would be one of our visitors." She ran her fingers through my hair. "I have seen a few that I think you would like as well, and of whom I would very much approve."

"Oh?" I asked as she started brushing again. "Who?"

"Well, there is Prince Adonis who seems like a good man, but I must admit that thus far Prince Diamond has struck me as the most outstanding one."

I felt my mouth and heart drop. Diamond? No way! I remembered that I had talked to her about the visiting suitors before, and Diamond had not been on her list of candidates. Or had he? No, the conversation had happened before the dream, so it couldn't have been during the dream. I was not confusing reality with imagination now.

"Y-you like Prince Diamond?" I stuttered, making sure I had heard her right.

"Yes. He seems to be a fine young man who's courteous and respectful. He's been nothing but a gentleman and he's left quite an impression on me. Besides that, the general report of him is very good. He's a capable ruler who is loved by his people and a allies. There are no blemishes on his name as of yet, and I doubt that there soon will be any." Mother spoke as if Prince Diamond was a real gem, with no pun intended.

"But mother! How can you be so sure that he is as wonderful as he seems?"

"Why not? Thus far I have neither seen nor heard anything to make my opinion any different."

I had to bite my tongue. I hadn't either. "What about Prince Endymion?" I asked To get the conversation away from Diamond.

"Prince Endymion?" she said hesitantly. "I'm not too sure about him. He seems somewhat aloof. I haven't heard anything bad about him, but nothing that would impress me either."

I stared at her in the mirror as she put up one of my buns. I felt crushed for some reason. Maybe it was because the man I loved was proving to be simply a dream. I had spent time with him, and in my opinion he was warm and friendly, but couldn't it be possible that I was wrong? I felt as if all my conceptions and opinions had been blurred by my vision, and now I wasn't able to form a proper, unbiased opinion.

He couldn't be bad though. After all, it had been a couple of weeks since he had arrived on the Moon, and in that time I had spoken with him and learned a bit about his habits, likes, dislikes, and personality. I had to talk to him again, at least once more, just to see if I was really being completely close-minded and obsessive.

Mother pinned the bun in place and went to work on the second one. I felt relaxed just sitting there with her doing my hair. It was mesmerizing, soothing, comforting. I could have sat there for hours just letting her play with my hair,

"There," she said suddenly, bringing me from my daze. "All done. You should go get dressed now, we have to go to the ballroom soon."

I nodded and stood up. "Thank you," I murmured.

I suddenly felt a hand on my chin bringing my gaze upward. Mother smiled at me with that radiant smile no one could match. "You're so grown up," she whispered.

I smiled at her and wrapped my arms around her waist. "I love you, mom," I whispered, feeling her put her arms around my shoulders.

"I love you too, my Serenity."

I pulled back and smiled at her. "I'll get dressed now. It shouldn't take me more than half an hour."

"That's fine. I'll send Artemis to escort you to the ballroom in half an hour."

I nodded and pulled away. "All right."

Mother walked to the door. "Serenity, keep in mind what I said about Prince Diamond. I think he has grown fond of you."

I nodded and swallowed hard. Mother left and I walked to my wardrobe,

Could she be right? Was I letting the unreal block my decisions. I felt bad about being so unwilling to give Diamond a chance.

I sighed as I took a gown from my wardrobe. Perhaps I would have to give Diamond the benefit of doubt. I would speak with him that night, him and Endy, and get a few things straitened out.

This was going to be a long night.

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_--Disclaimer--_

_I do not own the rights to Sailormoon or any of the characters. That honor belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, and I am simply a lowly author who can use her characters for my plots._

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_A/N: So, what happens next? What will happen that fateful night at the ball? Will it be a repeat or no? Ahh the suspense. Hopefully this story is still maintaining your interest. I still have a twist or two planned. Anja._


	14. 13: Fateful Night

**Chapter 13**

**Fateful Night**

"Announcing her Royal Highness and Heir to the throne of the Moon kingdom, Princess Serenity!" How many times had I heard that introduction? Only a couple hundred. All I had to do now was smile, curtsey, walk down the stairs to the ballroom floor, keep smiling, and walk over to where mother was sitting in her chair of state. The crowd split to allow me free passage, and once I was seated next to the illustrious Queen of the Moon, the people returned to their dancing, eating and drinking.

Ahh the simplicity of the process. I couldn't have asked for something more convenient. Well, besides no entrance at all that is.

"You look lovely," mother whispered as I adjusted my gown around me. I thanked her before looking up at the crowd and scanning for it for a certain raven-haired man. There was no trace of him. Sighing, I took a goblet from a tray one of the maids was holding out to me and sipped the cool liquid within.

Suddenly, a thought hit me and I froze with the goblet still at my lips. Where was everyone? Yes, the room was full of people, but there were four distinct women missing. My Senshi, Lita, Ami, Mina, and Rae, none of them were present. I hadn't seen any of them all day as a matter of fact. I lowered the cup from my lips. This was very peculiar. They were almost always at my side and it was unheard of for them to be gone for a whole day all at once.

"Mother," I whispered as I leaned over in my chair, "where are the girls?"

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I mean where are my Senshi? I haven't seen them all day."

"I'm sure they're in the crowd somewhere," mother said as she waved her hand towards the people before us, dismissing the conversation and any protests I had. I wasn't satisfied though. My Senshi were always with me. Something wasn't quite right. I couldn't believe I hadn't noticed their absence before, but I still felt as if I had been gone with Endy and my Senshi had not been with me then.

Where were they now though?

"Princess, you look lovelier than any other lady in the room," someone said to me as I was looking out into the crowd. I looked to the source of the voice and was surprised to see Prince Diamond standing before me.

"Ah, Prince Diamond, it is a pleasure to see you again," mother exclaimed as she held out her hand. Prince Diamond took it and placed a gentle kiss upon it.

"The pleasure is all mine, my Lady," he replied smoothly as he straitened up. He was dressed in all white, silver, and violet, his suite crisp and clean. I noted that his appearance was just as it had been in my dream. Everything was, as a matter of fact, as it had been in my dream.

"I wanted to thank you for escorting my daughter to the palace from the gardens earlier today," mother said, giving me a meaningful glance.

"Yes, thank you," I added in. I refused to say anything more. I would not shower him with praise, appreciation, and flattery. I still didn't trust him and his intentions.

"I was hoping that the lady would honor me with a dance," Diamond said as he bowed slightly in my direction. Butterflies immediately filled my stomach and my heart slammed hard against my ribs. Mother would be displeased if I refused, but I couldn't say yes.

"I thank you for your kind offer, Prince Diamond, I am honored. I have not been feeling like myself today, though, and I still feel somewhat ill. Please forgive me, but I would like to sit this dance out." All that training in 'politically correct' speech was finally paying off. Artemis and Luna would have been proud.

"I understand. I hope that you feel better before the end of the evening so it may be I who has the honor of a dance with your Grace," Diamond said as he bowed once more to me, to mother, and then left to join the dancing crowd.

Ha, take that my eerie premonition. I had said yes in the dream, but not now. Point one Usagi!

A lump formed in my throat when I thought of that name, Usagi. It didn't exist, did it? It had been Endy's name for me, but he had never called me that in real life. I sighed. It was going to be hard letting go of that name. A small smile touched my lips though, since I knew there was a chance I could use the name Endy one day perhaps.

As if on cue, a raven haired man appeared on the other side of the hall. He was far away, but he looked as tall as Endy. It had to be him! Now was the perfect opportunity to go over to him and get a few things off my chest.

"Queen _Selenity_, Princess _Serenity_, the two of you look like _jewels _sitting there upon your thrones," I high-pitched male voice exclaimed. I winced inwardly as I forced the muscles that had been ready to make me get up to relax.

"It is nice to see you again, my Lord. How are you enjoying your stay thus far?" mother motioned to a seat next to her as she spoke. The man's name escaped me but he did look familiar. Of course this had happened in my dream as well, and as far as I could remember, I was in for a long conversation with him and mother. It didn't matter though, since I glanced back out into the crowd and Endy was already out of sight.

Our new companion settled his round self into the chair and adjusted his flowing, rustling, blue robes. "I am absolutely _thrilled_, my dear, that you invited the wife and I to come and visit once again. It's been _ages_, darling, _ages _since we last saw you. As a matter of fact, that's _just _what the wife said to me the other day, she said, dear, it's been too long since we last visited Selenity. I told her..."

I tuned out his voice. It was getting on my nerves. Instead, I tried to find a way that I could slip away as soon as possible so I wouldn't have to miss out half the evening listening to the man talking. I let my eyes stray over the crowd every so often in hopes of seeing Endy somewhere, but I had no such luck. Whenever I thought I caught a glimpse of him, it always turned out to be someone else, or the person would disappear, so I didn't know where he was.

"...and I told him that it was just simply a _ghastly _thing to do, I mean _really_, one would _think _that we're civilized enough not to do such a thing!" He was still talking.

"Yes, well, it is difficult to judge such things," mother said calmly.

"Now I know what you're saying, and I understand you _completely_. However, don't you think that it's possible that if he was _really _serious about it that he'd..." I tuned him out again. I was simply not interested. I watched him and nodded every so often, but that was about it.

It was at least an hour that this conversation went on. I could see mother getting weary, and he had not yet gotten to the southern territories and the treaties he needed to re-negotiate there, along with whether or not he should put up the egg shell white napkins out for his next banquet, or ivory white. His speech was truly an excruciating experience. Suddenly, I got an idea. I placed my hand on my forehead and tilted to the side ever so slightly.

"Serenity, are you all right?" mother asked worriedly, effectively quieting our companion.

"I'm feeling a little dizzy. Perhaps I should go stand outside for a moment," I replied, thickening my voice and half-muttering the words.

"Yes, do. Please excuse my daughter, she has not been feeling well all day," mother said as I stood and made my way out the doors behind us.

"Oh, it's not problem at all. That _poor _dear must be tired from all the excitement. You know, my niece once fainted from ..." his voice faded out as I stepped outside into the cold night air. There were only a few people out on the balcony and all of them were far away. I strolled over to the edge of the balcony and leaned on the railing. My eyes immediately became glued to the blue and green orb hovering in the dark night sky. The glowing sphere only made my heart ache more as memories, or rather visions, of Endy flooded my mind.

He had been so patient with me, so caring and concerned. I felt bad whenever I had been with him since he never seemed to want to hurt me and he did everything to make sure that I was comfortable and satisfied. Just the thought of his strong arms around me brought a smile to my face, the feeling of his warmth next to me as we slept. Why was I still so resistant towards him, even though I knew he wouldn't hurt me? Only the gods could answer that. I wanted to live without fear, especially without fear of him, so I could be free. I felt trapped in my own insane mind, but Endy was breaking through. How, I had no clue.

I shivered, regretting not having brought my shawl out. It was nippy, and that meant I would soon have to go back inside. I wanted to stay outside long enough so that when I came back in, mother was alone or with someone else. I wanted to go and search for Endy inside, but with the every growing crowd I wouldn't be able to get across the room without having a panic attack. I would have to be patient and wait until things died down a little or until I knew exactly where he was and could plan a path to him where I would run into as few people as possible.

I took a sip from the goblet I was still holding in my hands, the wine warming me up a little. With a sigh I returned my attention to the Earth. Did Naru and Motoki really exist? What about Anne and Alan? Had they all been inventions of my imagination or where they real? It saddened me a little to think that Naru, Anne, and Motoki might not exist.

"Princess, you look chilled. Here," a masculine voice said from beside me, and before I could do anything I felt a soft pressure being put on my shoulders. I yelped and jumped away, dropping the goblet of red wine in the process. The silver vessel fell to the stone balcony with a clatter. Red wine splashed up, spraying everything it could reach.

"I'm so sorry!" my companion cried out. Prince Diamond looked genuinely surprised.

"What are you doing?" I gasped out as I pulled the cloak around my shoulders tighter to keep it from falling off...

...cloak around my shoulders?

"I'm so sorry if I startled you," he said as he glanced down at the spilled wine. I glanced down too and gave out a low moan. The bottom of my white gown and his white pants was spattered with red droplets.

"I didn't hear you coming," I murmured as I stooped down and picked up the emptied goblet and placed it on a small table next to us. "I'm sorry about your clothing, I'll make sure that it's cleaned out or replaced."

"Don't worry about it," he said gently. "They're just pants. Are you all right? I fear that I startled you quite a bit. I just thought you looked cold, and I wished to offer you my cloak."

"I-I'm fine. I just don't like being touched," I blurted out before clamping my hand over my mouth.

Prince Diamond smiled. "Thank you for the warning, I'll keep that in mind."

"I didn't mean it like that, it's just, well, I-I don't know how to explain it..." I trailed off, not really knowing what to say.

"Please, Princess, no offense is taken. A lot of people don't like being touched by complete strangers. I completely understand."

Well, I wasn't about to try and explain everything to him, so I said nothing further on the subject. "Thank you for the cloak," I said. "I was thinking about going back in to warm up soon."

"Now you don't need to, if you don't want to," he replied as he stepped over to the railing and allowed his eyes to wander up to the Earth. I followed his gaze, losing myself in the beauty before me once more. I could have stayed there, staring at the Earth for hours on end. The silence between us did start to stretch, though, and I felt compelled to start up a conversation of some sort as to not appear rude.

"Are you enjoying your stay on the Moon so far?" I asked. It was a nice, neutral question.

"I am. As I mentioned earlier today, this part of the galaxy is very beautiful. It holds many exquisite treasures, the likes of which I have never seen before. I only hope that I will be allowed the privilege and honor of observing these treasures longer than the duration of this visit Queen Selenity as proposed."

"I'm glad that you have found something enjoyable here."

"I have you to thank for that, Princess."

"Oh?"

"Your Grace has captured me and intrigued me, I feel an odd curiosity and adoration for your grace, and I can only hope that you will tolerate my presence and friendliness."

I blinked and blushed. To say that his calmness and eloquence surprised me would be an understatement.

Prince Diamond chuckled. "I apologize for being so bold, my lady. It is not like me to be so outgoing."

"There--there's no need to apologize," I muttered, feeling both flattered and uneasy about his words.

"Then perhaps you will forgive me for my continued boldness. I-I would feel greatly honored if you would give me a chance to express my affections toward your Grace and perhaps be considered a good friend one day. I am enchanted by the Moon and its citizens, and I would be greatly interested in forming an alliance between your people and my people."

"Prince Diamond, this is all rather...sudden. I'm sure that mother would be pleased with a new alliance, but please, get to know me a little better before you propose any good...friendships." I tried to keep my voice calm and light as I spoke since I was suddenly rather aware of the fact that he and I were on the balcony completely alone, and the feeling of foreboding would not leave the pit of my stomach.

"As you wish, Princess. I apologize for my boldness once again." His voice was a little more curt, but he still seemed cheerful enough.

"No need to apologize," I repeated. "I think it's time to go inside now, though. It's cold out here."

"Allow me to accompany you then," he offered, and all I did was nod. We walked back to the doors and he allowed me enter the ballroom. I slipped the cloak off my shoulders as soon as we were inside and handed it back to him.

"Thank you. I think I'll be warm enough in here," I told him, after which he nodded and put the cloak back around his shoulders. I glanced over to the thrones and noted that mother was no longer sitting there. Rather, Artemis was standing there with Luna, both of them scanning the crowd. I walked over to them followed by Diamond.

"Luna, Artemis, where is mother?"

Both of them turned to look at me. "There you are, we've been looking for you. An unexpected ambassador is approaching the Earth and your mother had to go and greet him. She left a little more than half an hour ago," Luna explained.

"Oh, all right. Thank you, I didn't know," I replied.

"Prince Diamond, your two generals requested your presence in your chambers as soon as it is conveniently possible for you. They have an urgent message to deliver," Artemis said to Diamond.

Diamond turned to look at me. "Please excuse me, Princess. I need to go and see what this message is, but I will return as soon as possible."

I curtsied as he bowed. "I will see you later then, Prince Diamond."

Diamond followed Artemis out of the ballroom and Luna stayed behind with me. "Princess Serenity, your dress!" Luna exclaimed suddenly. "What happened?"

I glanced down at my wine spattered gown. "I had a small accident outside," I replied sheepishly.

"Go and change quickly," Luna ordered, motioning towards the doors behind the thrones that led into a library. I nodded and quickly slipped through the heavy door. From the library I got into a small hallway that led to the private chambers of the palace. I made my way to my room quickly. Once there I shut the door behind me and in the soft starlight walked over to my closet. I didn't bother lighting any candles since I would be in and out within a few moments.

I opened the oak doors of my wardrobe and ran my hands over the assortment of gowns. Choosing one that was easy to slip into I pulled it out and closed the doors once more. I turned around and nearly screamed. A dark figure was just closing the door to my room.

"Who are you?" I cried out, clutching the soft fabric of the dress to my chest, looking around for the closest object I could throw at my intruder. The person straitened and turned to look at me. His black hair gleamed in the low light and his face was for the most part covered in shadows. He made no move toward me, no attempt to move.

It couldn't be, could it?

"Endy--mion?" I asked softly.

"Yes," the figure whispered back as he took a testing step toward me.

A smile tugged on the corners of my lips, but then faded. "What are you doing here?" We weren't married, we had not past, what was he doing in my room.

"I--I had to see you," he whispered so softly I almost couldn't hear him. "I'm so confused, I had this dream and--"

I didn't wait to hear any more. I dropped the gown and rushed over to the man before me. "I knew it, I knew there was something strange going on!" I wrapped my arms around his waist, finally feeling safe and somewhat less confused. "I knew that I knew you, I knew that things were too strange!"

He didn't say anything, only wrapped his arms around my shoulders and squeezed me to him hard. "Endy, I'm so glad that you remember something too, or had the same dream, or whatever it was."

His grip around my shoulders only tightened. "Endy, what did you dream,?" I asked as I tried to look up at him, but his strong embrace kept my face planted firmly against his chest. "Endy? Endy, you're holding me too tight," I whispered, trying to wiggle free a little.

There was no response.

"Endy, you're hurting me," I said with a whimper, panic rising in my chest. What was wrong with him? I felt one of his hands go up my back to my neck where it latched itself and started to squeeze. I yelped and tore myself away from him with all my might. "What's wrong with you?" I cried out, feeling suddenly confined and scared.

He said nothing, only took a step toward me and made a grab for me. I jumped back and gave a scream. "What is wrong with you? What's going on?" I cried as I tried to retreat.

He lunged at me again and grabbed me this time as we both tumbled backwards only to land on my bed. I gave a scream but it was cut short as his hands encircled my neck. I squirmed and thrashed, trying to offset his balance or fight him off, but it was to no avail. I opened my mouth but no sound came out.

Endy! What was going on? Why was he behaving like this? This wasn't right, no, this wasn't happening! Endy wouldn't hurt me! I loved him, and I knew that he had a level of admiration for me. How could he be doing this, how could he be so cruel and try to force me? I felt dizzy and lightheaded as my muscles started to feel weak. No! Endy, he had to stop, he had to let go, I loved him, I loved him more than life!

I felt my muscles give out and everything went black. I could see nothing, feel nothing, hear nothing, do nothing.

A glimmer of gold passed before my eyes as I fell into a deep, dark, cold pit. With the last bit of strength I had I grabbed for the golden shimmer, and pulled as hard as I could. Then, everything went dark.

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_--Disclaimer--_

_I do not own the rights to Sailormoon or any of the characters. That honor belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, and I am simply a lowly author who can use her characters for my plots._

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_A/N: And the tension builds! Evil cliffhangers are wonderful, aren't they? I hope you liked this chapter. The next one will be up soon. Anja._


	15. 14: Faded Gold

**Chapter 14**

**Faded Gold**

The endless sky loomed before us, the sparkling stars twinkling and luging on their invisible pedestals in the onyx heavens. They were completely unaware of my plight, of my pain and fear for Usagi. I was standing in the helm on the ship that was currently zipping through the very sky I was staring at. In my hands was the steering control, since I was the one following my golden link with Usagi. The rest of the ships were following behind, keeping up and maneuvering with me.

It was a fairly easy task since all I had to do was follow a strait line. For the most part, once I set the coordinates, the ship was on auto pilot. I got antsy and bored though, so every so often I would switch to manual steering. It gave me something to do, something to keep my mind at least slightly occupied.

The most confusing thing was that the thread seemed to be heading strait for the Moon. All tugging on the thread had ceased, which worried me since it mean that Usagi had either given up calling to me or else she was not conscious. I didn't like either situation. I needed to know that she was doing all right, for my own sanity.

The sound of footsteps reached my ears. I turned my head to see Motoki entering the helm. Besides him there were only a few crew members in the room, all of them out of earshot if I was talking at a normal tone. Motoki walked over to me. "Is it still heading in the same direction?" he asked.

"As far as I can tell," I replied, glancing out the window. Every so often I would send my own signal down the thread, but for some time now I had received no reply. At least I could still see the string, since it meant Usagi was alive and well.

"Is the signal getting any stronger or weaker?" he inquired.

"It's not getting weaker but not really stronger either. It seems as if she has stopped moving." In a way I was pleased that she was not getting further away. It meant that we could still catch up to whoever took her, although I was convinced it was somehow Diamond's doing. Who else could it be? The arrival of Rubeus and Esmeraude was too synchronized with Usagi's disappearance, and I couldn't excuse it as a mere coincidence. But how had it all happened? I gritted my teeth in agitation.

"You look tense," Motoki said quietly.

"Of course I do, Usagi is kidnaped," I snapped, immediately regretting the harshness of my voice. "Sorry," I mumbled. "I am feeling a little stressed." I heard the sound of soft footsteps approaching us, but I said nothing.

Motoki laid his hand upon my shoulder. "Don't worry about it. I'd feel the same way if N...if my lady was taken against her will."

"Naru?" I asked teasingly as I raised an eyebrow.

"Of course Nar--uhh, it wouldn't matter who she was. Besides, Naru still only has eyes for Lord Alan," he said sullenly.

"But Naru specifically, no? You do still have affection for her, don't you?"

"Of course I do," he blurted out, "and yes, Naru specifically. I would murder anyone who dared harm her"

I smiled slightly. "I'm sure she'd love to hear that," I told him, failing to point out that we had another person listening in to our conversation.

"Yes, well, there's no need to tell her anything," Motoki replied.

"Oh, I won't tell her a word," I told him as I looked over my shoulder. "I think that you're the one responsible for any information she has received."

I could see Motoki tense as I glanced behind him at the lovely, blushing red-head that was standing behind him.

"It's a good thing she's not on the ship then, _right_?" Motoki said nervously. "She's on the Earth since she wasn't supposed to come along with us, _right_?"

All the muscles in my face were twitching as I fought the urge to laugh. "She might have come to me just before we left and asked if she could come along. She may have been worried about Usagi and wanted to perhaps be there for her when we found her." I winked at Naru who was blushing more and more by the second.

"You're kidding," Motoki said in a rather commanding voice.

"Nope," I replied.

"Prince Endymion, General Kunzite wished to know if he is to command all the other ships to set their course automatically to the Moon," Naru said shakily from behind Motoki.

I had never seen two people blushing so much at once. Motoki spun around and offered Naru a deep, clumsy bow. "L-Lady Naru, what an unexpected surprise. I didn't know that the ship had the h-honor of housing you as well." As he turned he made a point of stepping on my foot with as much force as he could without off-setting his balance. I winced but said nothing.

Naru gave a short, equally clumsy, curtsy. "My apologies for interrupting your conversation," she said quickly, "but General Kunzite requested the information as soon as possible."

I couldn't keep myself from grinning. "Tell him that we are heading for the Moon thus far, so he may set his course there."

Naru curtsied once more and scurried out of the room.

Motoki turned to look at me with a smouldering glare."She was standing behind me the whole time, wasn't she?" he asked calmly.

I nodded. "I do believe so, although I could be wrong," I replied.

"Why didn't you tell me she was here!" Motoki cried out loud enough to make a few of the crew members glance at us.

"What, and missed out on that tender moment you two just shared? I think not. Besides, she didn't seem to mind your words. She was blushing almost as much as you."

"Endymion!" Motoki hissed, "she probably was laughing at me the whole time in her mind, and now she thinks me a lovesick fool!"

"I highly doubt that," I muttered as I returned my gaze to the star studded sky. "Give her a little more credit than that. She's not cruel."

"No, but you are," he retorted. I could hear the annoyance in his voice.

"Perhaps," I replied. "I think you appreciate my cruelty though, or will one day you will."

Motoki snorted but said nothing. I switched the ship to auto pilot and turned to look at Motoki. "Come, we're going to go get something to eat," I said as I motioned for one of the co-pilots to keep an eye on things. He nodded and returned to the papers he had been looking through. Motoki followed me out of the room as I walked to the small dining hall.

Despite being the one to suggest we go and eat, I found that all I could do was pick half heartedly at my food, eating only a scarce amount. My stomach knotted up each time I swallowed, and soon I put my fork down, contenting myself with keeping up a light conversation with Motoki. When we finished, after countless reminders from Motoki for me to eat and countless refusals on my part, we went to a viewing room near the helm of the ship where seats were set up so passengers could watch the approaching stars and planets. I sat in one of the cushioned seats while Motoki claimed a sofa for himself. We sat in silence for a few moments, just staring.

I wondered where Usagi was. Before I had met her I was accustomed to being alone, save for Motoki's companionship. I was never _really _alone, but when I was I didn't mind it. I would brood over my own thoughts and ideas, think about my people and kingdom, debate with myself over issues that were afflicting my father, mother, as well as the general populace, and contemplate the greater things of the universe. How was it possible, now, that all my attention, thoughts, feelings, and questions were directed at one woman? I suppose that was the way love worked. Things seemed cloudy yet clear, simple yet complex, reachable yet impossible; everything all at once.

I studied the thread coming from my chest, its golden glimmer beckoning me to follow it. I wanted more than anything to take its path at the speed of light so I could find my wife sooner than anything could happen to her. That was a wish I knew would not be fulfilled, and I would thus have to practice that virtue called patience. It would either make me the strongest, most patient man in the galaxy, or else it would kill me.

"So, what is the plan of action once we do find Princess Serenity?" Motoki asked, pulling me from my world of contemplation.

"I don't know. It depends on where she is and who is with her."

"What if she is on the Moon?"

"Then we will talk to Queen Selenity immediately and find out what is going on. I highly doubt the Queen would kidnap her own daughter, but she may know where she is and why she is there."

Motoki rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You know, while we were eating, I thought of something," he said slowly. Before I could prompt him to finish his thought, the door slid open. I rose from my seat as did Motoki, who had to turn to see who it was. Naru stood before us with a surprised look on her face.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't think anyone would be in here," she exclaimed as a blush lit her cheeks at the sight of Motoki.

"There is nothing to be sorry about," I told her calmly. "Please, join us." I motioned to the seat next to where Motoki had been sitting, on the sofa. I could feel Motoki's panic rising, although he said nothing.

"I don't want to be intruding," she said simply.

"You're not intruding at all. Please, sit." I motioned to the sofa again, and this time Naru complied with my order. She sat down and adjusted her skirts while we took our seats as well. There was still a good two-foot large space between Motoki and Naru, but despite that, each one was glued to his or her arm rest.

"So, Motoki, you were saying..." I began.

Motoki glanced hesitantly at Naru. I nodded my head, giving him permission to continue. "Well, I was thinking that your theory of Prince Diamond being behind the kidnaping may not be true."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why is that?" I asked.

"Because if my memory serves me well, I don't remember Queen Selenity ever mentioning anything in her correspondences with the Earth that Prince Diamond had been released from her custody. Do you think it's possible that he is still being held on the Moon?"

"Is it possible for the Queen to keep a Prince as a prisoner for so long?" Naru asked hesitantly.

"No, I don't think so. If she still had him, there would probably be a war raging around the Moon right now," I replied, mulling Motoki's words over in my head. "I also don't think that she still has him. Otherwise, who would have sent Rubeus and Esmeraude?"

"Maybe that's what we should be asking," Motoki pointed out. "Maybe rather than starting a war, his people decided to take Princess Serenity to use her as a hostage for Prince Diamonds safe return. I think most people know Queen Selenity's weak spot for her daughter.?"

He did have a point. I couldn't remember Queen Selenity saying anything about releasing Diamond either, but I was sure she had to have. The other planets would have demanded it, that or some other form of justice to be carried out. Whenever questions had been posed to Queen Selenic in letters though, she always said things were being taken care of.

Was it possible that Diamond was still on the Moon? That might explain why Usagi seemed to be in that direction. No, it didn't make sense.

"Whoever took Usagi would not have taken her strait to the Moon," I finally said. "It would be too easy for Queen Selenity to claim her daughter back without handing Diamond over in return. Besides, I'm fairly certain that Diamond is no longer on the Moon. There are too many laws and regulations guarding against such things in the Silver Alliance, save for times of war. Queen Selenity would have been pressured to do something with him, and I know for a fact that no such issues have been raised."

"I suppose. It was just a thought," Motoki replied.

"What if keeping him was the only way Queen Selenity could carry out justice?" Naru asked.

"I--I don't know," I replied thoughtfully. I hadn't looked into it and wasn't sure how the Alliance would look at the situation. "I'm pretty sure that she would have had to found some other way though. You can't keep a monarch form his or her own planet for so long, not for the sake of their people at least."

We shared a moment of silence again. I dadoed think Diamond was on the Moon and I still clung to my theory that he was somehow behind everything, although I had no idea how. There were still so many unanswered questions though. How had Usagi been taken in such an un-detected way? Had it not been for our link we would not have discovered she was missing until much later.

"I'm worried for the Princess," Naru said quietly all of a sudden. "I know that you'll find her though, both her and the man who took her."

"I'm sure we will," Motoki replied cheerfully, putting on a smile for Naru's sake.

Wait, what was it that she had said? "Naru, can you please repeat what you just said?"

Naru blinked in surprise. "I said that I'm worried and that I hope you find the Princess," he replied.

"No, Naru, I need your exact words," I ordered.

Naru swallowed. "I think I said, I'm worried about the Princess. I know you'll find her though, her and the man that took her."

I squinted out the window. Something Naru had just said wasn't making sense...she was worried about Usagi, she knew we'd find her, her and the...

The man. "Naru," I said slowly, "how did you know it was a man that took her?"

I saw Motoki straiten in his seat and look directly at Naru. I kept my gaze fixed out the window, staring at the golden thread shimmering in the night sky.

"W-what do you mean?" she asked nervously.

"What he means," Motoki began, "is that once he got to Princess Serenity's room, she was already gone, as was her captor. He was the first one in the room, so no one saw who took the Princess."

"I--I know that," she stuttered.

"Then how are you so sure it was a single man that took her?" Motoki prodded.

"I don't. When the ships were getting ready to go after Princess Serenity, I was standing and talking to Anne, and she was wondering how he had done it without raising a commotion."

"Who's 'he'?" Motoki asked.

"I don't know, the man who took the Princess,"

"How did Anne know that it was a man then?"

I listened to the interrogation as my heart clenched in my chest. Something was starting to seem very fishy.

Suddenly, I felt like I had been hit with a carriage going at full speed. The wind was knocked out of me as my hand flew to my chest where my heart was beating at a wild pace in my chest. I let out a strangled cry as I shot from my seat and made a dash to the window, my eyes fixated on the empty expanse of space.

"Endymion!" Motoki cried out as he shot to his feet too. I ignored him completely, ignored his presence and words, everything.

I couldn't breath, I couldn't think, I couldn't believe it. "NO!" I cried out as I slammed both my fists against the hard pane of glass. I felt hands gripping my shoulders but I attacked the glass once more. The blood in my veins was roaring through me with fear, rage, and a deadly panic. I slammed the glass again and again as the hands on my shoulders tried to pull me away. No chance in hell!

"Prince Endymion!"

"Endymion, what's wrong?"

I almost couldn't hear their words as I hurled myself at the glass again. Agony tore at my flesh and anguish constricted my lungs as I let out a strangled sob, sinking to my knees to the cold floor, my hands still on the smooth glass.

"No! Usagi!" I cried out as tears started to stream down my face, leaving scorching paths down my cheeks. This wasn't happening, it wasn't possible.

"Endymion, talk to me, what's wrong!" Motoki was shaking my by the shoulders, trying to gain my attention, but it was all in vain. All I could do was let out a cry as my hands slid down the window before me and my forehead came to rest against the smooth pane.

The golden link, that thread that attached my heart to hers, the one Queen Selenity said could not be removed without death, was suddenly, completely, eerily...

...gone.

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_--Disclaimer--_

_I do not own the rights to Sailormoon or any of the characters. That honor belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, and I am simply a lowly author who can use her characters for my plots._

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_A/N: Yes, another cliff hanger. Aren't they great? Hmm, now, what is going on? Anja._


	16. 15: On the Moon

_A/N: In order to avoid any confusion, this chapter is done in MOTOKI'S point of view. Also, I promise this is the last cliff hanger for a while, and I'll try and post the next chapter really fast to save your sanity. I know I shouldn't have so many cliffies in a row, but this story is based on them, and if you read the story from start to finish it wouldn't seem so bad. Anyway, hopefully you like this. _

_---Anja._

**Chapter 15 **

**On the Moon**

In all the time I had known Endymion, never had I seen him so high strung, tense, and emotional. He was nothing more than a bundle of nerves that refused to eat, sleep, drink, or think. Well, at least think _clearly_. He was thinking, but only about Serenity.

"Motoki," he muttered, "has the blasted ship arrived yet?" He was in his quarters with all the blinds shut so he was in complete darkness. It had taken three crew members, along with myself and Naru, to bring Endymion to his room. By the time we had gotten through that ordeal, he had been so spent that he just sank to his bed and sat there, hunched over, unmoving. His elbows rested on his knees as he stared at the floor before him, his eyes shining with unshed tears.

"No, we are still about an hour away from the Moon," I told him gently, not wanting to raise his emotions.

All Endymion did was sigh and blink, before he resumed his staring. I backed out of the doorway I was standing in, giving Endymion the space he needed at the moment, and closed the door once I was out. Naru was waiting for me there in the small hallway.

"Is he any better?" she whispered, clutching her hands together so hard her knuckles had turned white.

I shook my head. "No. He's still in the same position we left him in." He had been in that position for hours now, refusing to move at all until we reached the Moon.

Naru and I walked away from the door and to the same waiting room we had been in when Endymion had lost contact with Serenity. I felt my own heart breaking when I thought something could have happened to her. I didn't allow myself to accept the worst though, that she could actually be gone forever. That just couldn't be possible. That would probably kill Endymion.

When we reached the waiting room Naru walked to the window and stared at out a the vast starry sky. The Moon loomed before us, bright and shining, giving Naru a partial silhouetted look. Her delicate fingers touched the glass and slid down. I walked over and stood next to her, a step back. "I should return to the helm, but I'll be back for you before we dock," I said softly.

Naru nodded and glanced over her shoulder. "All right. I'll wait here or wander to my room."

"Try and get some sleep if you can," I told her, since none of us had gotten much sleep in the past few days.

"I'll try, but an hour isn't much," she replied, returning her gaze back to the window. I wanted to reach out and touch her gently, softly caress the soft skin on the back of her neck.

"Good night, Naru," I said instead as I turned on my heel and strode to the door.

"Good night, Motoki," she replied. "Try and rest a little too. You look ready to fall over."

I cast her a smile over my shoulder. "I'll try," I replied before walking in the direction of the helm. This was going to be a long hour. There was no way I was going to be able to sleep, so I would have nothing to do but talk to a few of the crew members and General Kunzite, who was in the helm giving orders. I walked over to him right away. He nodded at me and gave one last order before turning to speak.

"Is he still in his chamber?" he asked.

"Yes. I don't think we'll be able to get him out of there until we reach the Moon," I told him.

He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes as he straightened his back. "We have made contact with the Moon already and Queen Selenity is expecting us," he said as he let his breath out and opened his eyes. "We should make sure Endymion is presentable." He stared right at me as he said this.

I nodded and sighed. "I'll make sure he is."

"Good."

That was the extent of our conversation as I turned around and walked out of the room again. I hoped Endymion wouldn't growl at me for coming into his presence again so soon, but protocol was protocol.

Gods, how I hated my job sometimes.

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The sound of our feet hitting the smooth marble ground was like music to the ears. We were finally on the Moon, now heading toward the welcoming party Queen Selenity was standing before. Beside me, Naru stared at her surroundings, completely taken with the serene beauty of the Moon. Endymion led our group, his hair and appearance neat but his eyes bloodshot and his face pale. I had done my best, despite his protests, to make him look the crown Prince he was, but he still looked like he had not slept in weeks. I could see he was high strung, his patience nearly gone, and his nerves on the very brink of completely snapping.

This was not going to be pretty.

"Prince Endymion, it is a pleasure to see you once again," the Moon Queen said as her eyes scanned our party, obviously looking for Serenity; the Queen, after all, didn't know the princess was missing yet.

"Queen Selenity, my apologies for showing up so unexpectedly. I hope we are not presenting any inconvenience to you." Endymion's voice was strong and his words clipped, a sharp contrast to his usual smooth, low tone of voice.

"It is no problem at all, Endymion, you know you are always welcome on the Moon," the Queen said, still glancing around. "But isn't my daughter with you?" Her voice was hopeful and excited. My heart skipped a beat, feeling a pang of sadness for the Queen who was about to hear news no mother should hear.

"We were hoping that _you _would be able to tell us where Serenity is," Endymion replied. The room went eerily silent as Selenity's face froze.

"She is with you, Prince Endymion. She is, after all, your wife." Her words were slow and carefully chosen.

I could see the tensed muscles in Endymion's face twitch as he swallowed. "She is supposed to be with me, but she isn't. A couple of days ago she was abducted from the Earth."

Selenity's hand flew to her mouth as she let out a sharp gasp. "No!" she whispered as the crowd around her murmured in surprise.

Endymion gritted his teeth with a pained look on his face. "We've been following the link she and I have, and it was heading straight for the Moon."

Selenity's hand shook as she lowered it from her face. "My daughter is not on the Moon, not to my knowledge at least. No one has come to the Moon in days."

"The link was coming here though," Endymion said with a frown, and I could see a fresh wave of tears spring into his eyes, though he held them back. "I--I fear," his voice cracked as he tried to find the right words to use. "I fear I have lost contact with Serenity." Selenity's already fair skin paled to a deathly white. Endymion's words registered with everyone in the chamber, and once again there was an eerie silence. "Our link is gone," he stated bluntly.

"That's impossible," the Queen whispered, her hands clenched and knuckles white. "You must be mistaken."

I watched in awed silence as Endymion took a step toward the Queen and fell to his knees before her, bowing his head. The scene before me was one I would never forget. Endymion's black clothed form fell before the illustrious white Queen of the Moon, his cape falling around him like a pitch black pool of sorrow and pain. Before all the courtiers clad in silver and white, and all the guards and members of our entourage, the fearless, brave Prince of the Earth quivered as he allowed a single, anguish-filled sob escape from his lips.

I felt the sharp sting of tears as Queen Selenity closed her eyes and fell to her knees as well, flinging her arms around Endymion. Her silver hair floated around her and seemed to hug the both of them in a comforting embrace, falling around the pair like silk in water. Nobody seemed to know what to do, the situation was so delicate and rare. From the spot where I was standing I could see Queen Selenity moving her lips, obviously saying something, but no one could hear what it was. Next to me, Naru sniffled, and I turned my head to see her wiping a few tears from her eyes.

In a sense, the situation seemed ridiculous, since none of us had actually determined for sure what had happened to Serenity; no explanations had been offered, no answers given, but the feeling of dread was mutual among all in the room.

I turned my attention back to Queen Selenity and Endymion. The Queen had her forehead resting on Endymion's shoulder, her petite frame leaning against Endymion. Slowly, she brought her head up, her eyes shining with tears, and she placed her delicate hands on either side of Endymion's face, forcing him to look her in the eyes. Her tender caress made him shudder again, but otherwise he didn't move. The Queen closed her eyes and placed a gentle kiss on Endymion's forehead, before raising herself to her feet.

"Perhaps we should discuss this in private," she whispered, placing her fingers beneath Endymion's chin and bringing his face upwards. He stared at her, two streams of silver running down his face, and hesitantly he nodded. Rising to his feet, he stared at the Queen as she murmured a few orders to the servants, guards, and courtiers around her, before turning and walking toward the doors. Naru and I followed, and I heard Malachite hissing a few orders at everyone else with us. Two guards fell in place behind Naru and I as we followed Queen Selenity and Endymion, and General Malachite walked next to me. One of the Queen's advisor's, Artemis, walked next to his Queen who was flanked by two Moon guards.

We soon reached a small seating room. After everyone was inside, Queen Selenity nodded at Artemis to close the doors. A cheerful fire crackled in the hearth, its merry popping and inviting warmth doing nothing to ease our bitterness and chill. I noticed that tears were now streaming down Queen Selenity's face but she wiped them away quickly. She sank into closest sofa and rested her elbows on her knees, her forehead in her hands. She let out a shaky sigh as the rest of us took seats around her, Endymion in the chair right next to her, Naru and I on a sofa across from them, and Artemis and Malachite in two other chairs. The guards that had followed us seemed to melt into the walls near the door.

Queen Selenity raised her head and looked at Endymion. "Now, tell me exactly what happened." Her chin was resting on her hands that were still supported by her knees, her normally straight form now bent hunched.

"A few days ago, a small group of ships arrived on the Earth, all of them unmarked. We had them searched and then my father and I went to speak with the two delegates that were on them. While talking to them, I felt Serenity panicking. By the time I reached our room, she was gone."

"You were still connected to her though, right?" Selenity asked.

"Yes. I didn't lose that connection until we were well on our way here," Endymion confirmed.

"Do you have any idea who took her?" Her tone was pleading, as if the identity of the kidnapper would lead to some sort of explanation.

Endymion stared at his hands for a moment before letting his eyes meet the Queen's. "I think that Prince Diamond has something to do with it."

"Prince Diamond?" Selenity asked, obviously taken back by Endymion's theory. "Why do you think he's the one to blame?"

Endymion's cold eyes glittered with anger at the very thought of Prince Diamond. "The delegates that arrived on the Moon were from the Dark Moon, Diamond's empire. It's a little too coincidental that they would arrive and right after Serenity would disappear. Besides, there is no one else who would want to take Serenity with such fervor."

Queen Selenity straightened as she bit her bottom lip. "I hate to bring down your theory, but I think that it's quite impossible that Diamond is behind this."

"Oh? And why is that?" Endymion asked.

"Prince Diamond is not even on his own planet right now. He is still in custody here on the Moon, and any contact he has had with his people has been closely monitored."

Endymion's jaw clenched. "He's still on the Moon?" he choked out.

"Yes. I have not yet released him since he has yet to answer for his actions."

I had to admit I was confused. If Diamond was still on the Moon, why wasn't the Dark Moon in an uproar? Why didn't we know about this? Why hadn't anyone demanded his release?

"I want to see him," Endymion growled. Well, he obviously wasn't thinking clearly, otherwise he would have been asking the same questions that were running through my head.

"If it pleases you. Now, or later?" Queen Selenity seemed a little hesitant to go right away since she probably still wanted to talk about Serenity, but Endymion stood.

"Now," he said and waited for us to stand before stalking toward the door. One of the guards opened it for him and he waited for us in the hall and for Selenity to lead the way. She walked quickly down the marble hallways, her feet making almost no sound on the stone floors. She led us through the palace labyrinth until finally our small party came to a stop in front of a door guarded by two warriors. Queen Selenity nodded at the door and one of the men pulled a ring of silver keys from his belt.

"This is his room," she said. "No one is allowed to enter or exit without my permission, and usually all visitors are supervised."

The guard pulled open the door and gave Queen Selenity a bow. She walked in and Endymion followed. Naru, General Malachite and I followed hesitantly as well.

There was no one in sight. A small fire crackled in the hearth but there was no one in the room. The room itself was humble but still decorated in good taste; a room used to house royal prisoners. Everything was in hues of lavender, the curtains, the carpet, the furniture, everything. On the opposite wall was a door that was closed, and I assumed that led to the actual bedroom. Artemis walked to that door and tapped on it gently. "You have company," he called before walking over to stand beside Queen Selenity. The Queen sank into a cushioned chair next to a small marble table and motioned Naru to join her, while the rest of us remained standing. The door creaked open after a few seconds and Prince Diamond stepped into the room.

"Queen Selenity, how kind of you to pay me a visit," the Prince said sarcastically, before his eyes fell upon Endymion. A sweet, venomous smile spread across his face. "And I see that the surprises keep getting only more pleasant. To what do I owe this unexpected honor?"

"I'm not here for idle chatter," Endymion snapped.

"Then pardon me for trying to be civil," Prince Diamond growled. "My apologies for not being more hospitable, but it is hard to be such when one has been living in a prison for as long as I have."

"Your situation is due to your own stupidity and I feel no compassion for that. I'm here for different reasons than to offer my sympathy. Where is Serenity?" Endymion was wasting no time or courtly speech. I resisted the urge to sigh or to tell Endymion to be careful, but I just remained silent.

"You ask _me _where _your _wife is?" Prince Diamond snorted. "I can only assume she is on the Earth or here with you, though why you ask is beyond me."

"I wouldn't be asking you where she was if I knew the answer already," Endymion retorted.

A look of surprise filtered across Diamond's face and was then replaced by a cheeky smile. "She ran away from you already? My, how quickly she tired of your company. I'm flattered that you would think she would come running into my arms for comfort."

Endymion glared at Prince Diamond as his fingers flexed toward the hilt of his sword, but he remained in control. I could see Malachite tense, and I knew he wanted to say something and step in, but Endymion didn't give him the chance.

"Watch your tongue," he hissed. "A small party of your ships arrived on the Earth the day Serenity was Kidnapped, she didn't run away. They said you wished to offer a peaceful hand to us, and then Serenity was gone. I am very interested to hear your explanation of their presence."

Diamond arched an eyebrow. "Perhaps you are not aware of my current situation, Prince Endymion, but I do have more important tasks on my list of things to do at the moment than abducting a woman who obviously wants nothing to do with me. Resolving my current housing is on top of that list, as if making amends in a fair way, not meeting any ridiculous demands." With that last sentence he glared at Queen Selenity, who's cool gaze didn't waver from the fuming Prince.

"You cannot say you're being treated badly here, Prince Diamond. There are a few conditions for your release, ones that are both fair and acceptable."

"You know I disagree with that opinion," Prince Diamond replied with a sneer.

Endymion sighed and ran his hand through his hair. His agitation was radiating from his entire being and everyone in the room could sense it.

"Perhaps, it would be better, if we left for the time being and returned at a later time," General Malachite said in a genuine display of wisdom. I applauded him.

"What, and leave me so soon? I'm quite entertained by this. I never thought I'd get the chance to see Prince Endymion so emotional and pained. For all he knows, his wife may never return to him."

"I told you she was Kidnapped, she didn't run away," Endymion snapped.

"Are you sure? Just think, right now she could be in the arms and bed of another man, enjoying pleasures you could never show her. She won't want to return any--" his words were cut off as he was slammed into the wall by Endymion with such force it knocked the air from his lungs and he gasped for air.

"Endymion!" Queen Selenity exclaimed sharply.

"Your walking on very thin ice, Diamond, very, very too thin ice. I'd watch my words if I were you," Endymion growled as he pushed on Prince Diamond harder to the wall.

Prince Diamond grinned. "And if your theory is true, she could already be dead."

Endymion let out a cry of frustration as he slammed Diamond into the wall again and let the Prince slide to the ground as he turned on his heel and strode to the door. Queen Selenity and Naru got to their feet quickly.

"Just think, Endymion, you couldn't protect your own wife," Diamond called out as Endymion placed his hand on the door handle. He froze.

"One more word, Diamond, and I will kill you."

"Endymion, please, control yourself," Queen Selenity said softly as she glared at Prince Diamond. "And you, sir, should watch what you say."

Endymion pulled the door open and stormed out. The rest of us followed and once we were all out, the guards closed and locked the door once more. Endymion was facing the wall, leaning his arm and forehead on the smooth stone. Queen Selenity walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry about that," she murmured gently.

Endymion let out a long sigh. "It's not your fault, my Lady. I should have been in better control of my emotions."

I walked over to the two. "Endymion, you should really get some sleep before we do anything else." He needed the rest, that much was apparent.

"We have to continue our search for Usagi," he muttered. "Since she's not here, we have to continue on."

"We have no clue where to go," I argued, wanting desperately for him to get some rest before his body gave out. "Maybe in the morning--"

"We will leave now, Motoki. I can sleep on the ship if I need to," Endymion said with a deadly calm voice.

"Endymion's right, Serenity needs to be found as soon as possible," Queen Selenity said quietly. I sighed, since I was now on the losing end of the battle.

"I advise against this, but if you're set on going right away..." I let my words trail off as Endymion straightened his back and stepped away from the wall.

"We're going now," he said.

No one argued as Queen Selenity started to lead us back to the docks. She and Endymion walked ahead of the group, sharing in a low conversation, while the rest of us walked in silence. At least it gave me a chance to think a little. If Diamond wasn't behind the abduction, then who was? What reason would anyone have for taking the Princess? There was the possibility of holding her for a high ransom, but why had her link with Endymion disappeared then? There was no one I could think of that would want Serenity dead. Most people on the Earth were enchanted by her, save for a few like Anne...

Anne? Could she have something to do with it? It would make sense. She had been after Endymion for years, openly trying to make him court her. Would she sink so low as to commit treason and murder? I would have to discuss the point with Endymion as soon as we were on our way.

It puzzled me that Rubeus and Esmeraude had come to the Earth with an invitation of peace from Diamond when Diamond had been quite hostile towards Endymion just now. It was possible that one of the conditions for Diamond's release was him making peace with Endymion and Serenity, but why had he been so snide just now, when his delegates had wanted to extend friendship? It didn't make sense.

We reached the ships. The room was buzzing with activity, crew members checking over the ships and preparing them for departure. I turned to Queen Selenity. "My Queen, I was hoping before we left you could answer something for me."

"Yes, Motoki?"

"What were the conditions that were imposed on Prince Diamond for his release?" I asked.

"There were not too many. Why do you ask?"

"There are just a few things that are unclear to me, my Lady, and I only wish to straighten a few things out in my head," I told her.

"Well, he was required to--" her words were cut when Endymion took in his breath sharply all of a sudden. We all looked at him. He was staring in the direction we had just come from, his eyes wide and his breathing rapid.

"Endymion, what--" before I could finish my question Endymion was gone, sprinting in the direction we had just come from. We all stared in surprise before anyone sprang into action. Malachite and I set out after Endymion, running after the mad man with a few Moon Guards and our own men following.

What had gotten into him? We all called out his name, but he didn't stop his mad dash. He was far ahead of us, and none of us knew where he was going, though he was heading in the same direction as Diamond's room was.

What had gotten into him?

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_--Disclaimer--_

_I do not own the rights to Sailormoon or any of the characters. That honor belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, and I am simply a lowly author who can use her characters for my plots._

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_A/N: As I mentioned earlier, I promise this is the last cliff hanger for a while. Most of what is going on will be explained in the next chapter, and I'll try and get that out quickly. Until then, please be patient and feel free to make up your own theories. Anja._


	17. 16: Riddled Answers

**Chapter 16**

**Riddled Answers**

If the feelings of absolute relief and absolute dread were on two opposite ends of a spectrum, then I could safely say I had defied all laws and truths that supported normality. My thoughts were leading me nowhere, and nothing in my mind made sense. Suddenly, through the fog, a golden beam broke through the silence and pierced my heart, filling me with the greatest sense of relief I had felt in all my life, but at the same time shaking me to the core with fear and dread.

As I ran from the ship I had been about to board, the only thing that was now in my mind, clear as a bell, was a single word: Usagi. Only moments before, that golden beam I spoke of re-attached itself to my heart, our link and thread that I had thought was gone for good. What terrified me, though, was the fear and desperation I could feel coming down it, the urgency and panic. Usagi was alive, that much I knew, but she was in trouble. How it was possible for her to have disappeared and repapered, so suddenly, was beyond me, but at that moment I didn't care. All I could focus on were my legs, how they were moving, and where the golden thread was leading them.

I could faintly hear someone calling my name as I ran, but I paid no heed. I had to get to Usagi. She was somewhere in the palace, and I only hoped that her location wasn't too far away.

Guards and servants stared at me as I ran by, but I didn't care. I noted that I passed by Diamond's room during my run, but I didn't dwell on that. I could hear the drum of blood rushing through my ears, and the sound of my own footsteps and heavy breathing echoing off the walls as the link carried me through many hallways and corridors. My heart was beating in my chest frantically and my lungs felt ready to explode, but I refused to stop or even slow down for an instant. There was no more communication through the link, and I feared that Usagi was really in trouble.

I rounded a corner, skidding and nearly falling in the process, and found the link leading to one of the doors. It looked very much like the hallway Usagi's room had been in, but they all looked so similar that I couldn't be sure. I came to a screeching stop in front of the door and wrenched it open, rushing in to see what was going on.

There were no candles to light the room, no fire to illuminate the dark corners of the chamber, and the glow of the stars filtering in through the windows bathed everything in a silvery light. I glanced around as my eyes adjusted to the darkness and dim light, and that's when I saw a movement on the bed. A figure was hunched over something, and my heart leapt into my throat when I saw a delicate hand and strands of golden hair on the bedspread below the hunched shadow. Without thinking, I forced my legs to carry me to the bed where I grabbed the figure, flinging it off of what I believed to be Usagi. The person, a man, gave a yelp of surprise as I sent him flying from his victim. My eyes came to rest on a limp Usagi. Her hair was fanned across the silken bed spread and her ivory gown was rumpled, but she lay there, unmoving, eyes closed.

The man must have regained his footing, and suddenly I felt two arms around my shoulders pulling me back. If he thought he was going to pry me away from my wife, he was about to be unpleasantly surprised. I twisted around, effectively causing him to lose his grip on me as my arm swung around. He stumbled back once more as my fist came in contact with his jaw and my other hand twisted his arm behind his back at a painful angle. He gave a yelp and grunt as we struggled, before bringing his leg back and slamming it into my foot. Pain shot up through my leg and I loosened my grip on his arm, an opportunity he took to swing around and plant a strong blow into my stomach. I gave out a gasp as he knocked the wind out of me. Where the blazes was Motoki and whoever else had been following me?

I straightened up, in the process slamming my head into the mans chin, causing him to grunt in pain. I used my body weight to ram into him and knock him to the ground, before unsheathing the sword at my waist and aiming it for any appendage I could find. He rolled and my blade hit nothing but air and ground, causing me to stumble. I winced at the screeching sound the steel made with the marbled floor. I regained my footing and swung for his rolling form, but missed again. It registered in my mind suddenly that I probably didn't want him dead, since then I could not have him interrogated and possibly tortured, so I leapt to where he was trying to stand and slammed my foot onto his back, causing him to fall with whoosh onto his stomach. The cold metal of my blade found itself against the exposed skin at the back of his neck, its razor sharp edge cutting in slightly and drawing blood. Both of us were breathing hard but neither of us dared move.

"If you try to run," I said raggedly in between breaths. "I will kill you."

He groaned as he let himself go limp on the ground, and victory was mine. The clatter of feet made me look toward the door. Within seconds, a gasping Motoki burst through the door, followed by Malachite and a handful of guards.

"Malachite, get over here and make sure this bastard can't escape," I barked. Malachite ran over to me right away and took my blade, holding it firmly in position.

"Artemis, light some candles," I heard Motoki say amidst the scuffling and commotion as I left my place and quickly went over to where Usagi was still laying. Seeing her there with the soft starlight kissing her features caused my entire body to shudder. I placed my head near her face, and heard the soft sound of her breathing. !

"Serenity!" I heard Motoki gasp as he approached me. I placed my hands on her shoulders and shook her gently as the soft golden glow of candles being lit filled the room. I scanned her face and body, noting a few dark bruises beginning to form on her slender neck. Yes, the man would be tortured.

"Usagi," I whispered as I shook her. "Usagi, wake up." There was no response. "Usagi, please," I said more urgently as I slid my arm under her shoulders and brought her to my chest. I heard a low moan come from her and I sat on the bed, bringing her into a sitting position and then laying her in my arms. A frown formed on her face as I stroked a few strands of hair from her face.

"Usagi, it's me, Endy. Please wake up," I murmured softly.

Motoki crouched in front of me as he stared at Usagi, worry clearly written all over his face. "What happened?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know," I whispered back.

"Please, stop," Usagi murmured from my arms.

I squeezed her gently to me and placed my lips on her forehead. "It's ok, no one is going to hurt you," I murmured against her skin as she started to squirm. A small whimper came from her throat and I pulled back a little to watch her. It suddenly dawned on me that I should see who her attacker was, so I looked up to where the guards had already bound the man's hands behind his back and were just hoisting him up into a standing position. His face was pointed at the ground and all I could see was the onyx hair on the crown of his head. Finally he looked up, and I couldn't help but be shocked. I almost felt like I was staring into a mirror, although my reflection was shorter than I and bore a black crescent moon on its forehead. The man's blue eyes sparkled with anger and I had to do everything in my power to stop myself from commanding Malachite to run him through on the spot.

Nothing was making sense. Why had a man who looked almost identical to me been in Usagi's room, attempting to do heaven knows what to her? Why was Usagi on the Moon without Queen Selenity's knowledge?

I heard Usagi moan and I looked down just in time to see her eyes flutter open. I smiled down at her, relieved a thousand times over that she was regaining consciousness, but that relief was soon marred by the look of fear in Usagi's eyes. She opened her mouth as if to scream, but no sound came out.

"It's ok, you're safe now," I said quickly, squeezing her arm gently. She gave a yelp and bolted from my arms, hitting my chin with her forehead in the process. I started to fall back but leaned on my arm for support as Usagi fell ungracefully to the floor in a heap of white silk, golden hair, and surprised yelps. Had the situation been different, I would have started to laugh.

"Usagi, don't worry!" I exclaimed as I rubbed my jaw tenderly. Usagi was trying to, without much success, detangle herself from her knot on the floor. I crouched down beside her and grabbed her shoulders, bringing her up and out of her tangled gown. She blinked in surprise at me when our eyes met, and immediately tired to back away from me. I quickly stood, bringing her up with me, and in the process spun her around so that her back was pressed to my chest. Not wanting her to bolt, I also wrapped my arms around her so she couldn't run. She was thus forced to look at the man who had been trying to harm her.

Usagi gasped and stopped struggling in my arms. Both of us were breathing deeply and everyone was staring at us. I dropped my head and allowed my forehead to rest in the junction of her neck and shoulder, and let out a shaky sigh. "Are you all right?" I whispered?

I felt Usagi tremble but she said nothing. I have a slight pull on our heart string, letting her know it really was me. She shuddered and leaned into me.

"What happened?" Motoki suddenly asked, his voice high and angry. He was glancing from me to the raven haired man, back to me.

"I think our friend here aught to explain what is going on," I growled, glaring at the only person in the room I wished to murder at the moment.

"Endy..." Usagi whispered as she turned, pressing her face to my chest. I placed my hand on the back of her head, stroking down to he neck, as my other arm pressed her firmly to me. I felt her arms wrap around my waist and I was forced to once more to look away from the bastard and tend to Usagi.

"Perhaps we should take him away from the Princess and interrogate him in a more... suitable place," I heard Malachite say. I liked his thinking. A torture chamber was a much more suitable place.

"I won't tell you anything," the man said, his voice sending chills down my spine. It was so determined, so strong, so forceful, that I just wanted to tear out his vocal chords and use them to hang him. I looked up at him sharply.

"I wouldn't bet on that," I snapped.

He smiled. "I would."

Before I could reply, my attention was caught by the sound of a series of approaching feet outside the door to the room. Everyone turned in time to see a group of Moon guards rush in, followed by Naru and Queen Selenity. Naru took one look at Serenity in my arms and rushed over, while the Moon Guards quickly surrounded the group holding the intruder, and Queen Selenity remained standing at the door where Artemis joined her.

"Princess Serenity," Naru murmured beside me, causing Usagi to look up at her.

"Naru," she breathed before sighing and leaning her cheek against my chest again. I guided Serenity to sit on the bed and allowed Naru to wrap her arms around her. Usagi whimpered a little, but I needed to think clearly for a few moments, and having her pressed up against me was not helping.

Queen Selenity was still standing next to the open doorway when I turned to look at her, her eyes surveying the room. She had an odd look on her face, one that made her look almost vacant and indifferent to the scene around her, something I found disturbingly odd considering the fact she had not known where Usagi was and now she found her in her old room.

"Does anybody know what is going on here?" I demanded. An eerie silence filled the room as everyone stood where they were, completely still, almost as if they weren't breathing.

Malachite sighed. "I don't think we'll find out until we interrogate the prisoner," he said.

"Queen Selenity, with your permission, we would like to take this man and imprison him, as well as interrogate him about what he was doing when I walked into the room, and also why Serenity is here," I stated, watching as the Queen slowly brought her gaze from the bound man to me.

"There is no need, Prince Endymion," she said quietly.

I stared at her, dumbfounded. "No need? With all due respect, this man was trying to harm Serenity when I walked in here, and now he is unwilling to speak. Do you not wish to find out what is going on?" My temper was boiling, something that didn't happen very often at all.

She continued staring at me with her glazed expression. "He doesn't need to say anything," she replied in the same soft, almost monotone voice.

I heard laughter coming from the bastard that was still bound. "You see, I told you I wouldn't bet on my talking," he said with a sinister smile, he glee quite apparent. I didn't understand what was going on. I would have thought Queen Selenity would be more shocked and concerned at the sudden appearance of her daughter, but she seemed to be completely oblivious to what was going on, almost as if her body was there but her mind wasn't.

Something snapped in me and I felt a strong surge of anger course through my veins. "What the hell is going on around this place?" I barked, causing my men to flinch. I was running on almost no sleep, I had just lost and found Usagi again, my nerves were on the point of completely snapping, and everyone was acting as if reality was blurred. I wanted answers, and I wanted them fast.

"Perhaps I should be the one to answer that," a new, smooth voice said. I nearly fell to my knees when I saw Prince Diamond, followed by a zoned out Luna, stroll into the room next to Queen Selenity. Oh, things were just getting stranger and worse by the second. What was going to happen next? Was the Moon going to fall out of its orbital and go hurtling toward the sun? I wouldn't have been surprised if it did.

I stood where I was, completely speechless. "You seem a little shocked to see me, Prince Endymion," Diamond purred as he glanced at the Queen, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. "I can't imagine why though." The way his words rolled off his tongue portrayed confidence and self assurance, which did little to ease my worries. Luna walked over to where Naru and Serenity were, but I paid little attention to her.

Both Motoki and Malachite were as speechless as I, neither one of them moving or saying anything. Motoki opened and closed his mouth, but no sound came out, and Malachite stared at the Prince with confusion and bewilderment on his face. What puzzled me the most were the actions of the Moon Queen and her people. All of them seemed as if they were asleep with their eyes open, not reacting at all to the situation around them, as if they were hypnotized.

"What have you done to them?" I heard Usagi whisper from behind me. I cast her a glance and noticed her staring around the room from one person to the next. If she was confused about everyone's actions, then we were in for one wild ride.

"Seize them," Diamond said all of a sudden, and in a flurry of movement, cusses, and grunts, all the people of my party had their hands behind their backs, weapons laying dormant on the ground. I heard Usagi yelp and turned my head in time to see Luna forcing her hands behind her back as one of the Moon guards took a hold of Naru who gave a squeal.

"Don't touch her," I snapped just as one of the Moon guards grabbed my wrists and forced them behind my back, causing my arms to be at an awkward, painful angle. Diamond used our surprise to his advantage since all of my men seemed to have forgotten how to resist and fight back. I noted that the man whom we had captured was now free and walking over to Prince Diamond's side.

"It's a pity you didn't just leave, Prince Endymion," Prince Diamond said with a sigh. "It would have made my plan so much easier, but since you're here, I may as well take advantage of the situation."

"What have you done with my mother!" Usagi cried out from behind me.

A soft look filtered over Diamonds face. "Do not fear for your mother, Princess, she is perfectly all right. I have harmed her in no way at all."

"Is Wise Man here already, or is he still on his way?" I heard Diamond's companion ask quietly, the one I still wanted to string up by his vocal chords.

"He's on his way," Diamond replied, and then glanced from him to me. "I don't suppose, Prince Endymion, that you have had the pleasure of meeting my brother, Prince Sapphire, yet, have you?"

"Well I can see the same family traits in both of you," I snapped. "You both seem to enjoy forcing yourselves on innocent women."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, I'd watch my tongue if I were you. You're treading on very thin ice," Diamond warned sternly.

I had to bite my tongue to not yell at him. "What are you going to do now?" I heard Malachite ask. "We are your prisoners, now what?" I silently blessed Malachite for his clear thinking and cool temper. I wanted to know everything I could too. I was getting annoyed with being in the dark and not knowing what was going on, but I couldn't get my mind to work properly.

A sinister smile spread across Diamond's face. "I have my councilor, Wise Man, coming to the Moon as we speak, leading my armies to take occupation of the Moon."

"You're mad. Do you think there won't be protests against this from the other planets?" Motoki exclaimed, his eyes darting between Diamond and Naru and me.

"Queen Selenity has absolutely no objections to me bringing my armies here. Isn't that right?" Diamond asked.

Queen Selenity nodded her head. "That's right. My Lord is most welcome here."

He had bewitched her. There was no other explanation. He had bewitched a Queen!

"Mother!" Serenity cried out, a hint of frustration and disbelief in her voice.

"What the hell did you do to her?" I yelled at Diamond, earning myself a twist on the arms from the guard holding me. "What the hell did you do to the Queen?"

"I told you to watch your tongue, or else you will anger me," Diamond snapped, but immediately regained his composure. "Don't worry, Endymion, you'll find out what I did to her when I do it to you and your whole party. You won't even remember being here, or loving your wife. You will return to Earth and continue living your life as you did before."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" I snapped.

Diamond chuckled and nodded at the Moon guard holding Naru. A sickening feeling filled my stomach as she was brought forward to him, whimpering with fear.

"Naru!" Motoki gasped out.

"Don't worry, I won't harm her," Diamond said as the young woman came to a standstill before him.

We all stared in silence as he cupped her chin with his hand and stared into her eyes. She struggled a little, her red hair quivering, but he kept a firm grip on her face. He slid his thumb across her chin, and suddenly his forehead scrunched up and with a sickening squishing sound, the skin on his forehead split, revealing a third eyes. I felt nauseous at the sight but managed to keep myself cool.

"Do not worry, my dear, be calm. Nothing is going to happen to you," Diamond murmured as Naru's struggling slowly subsided.

"Leave her alone!" Motoki cried out before the Moon guards knee came up to his stomach, causing Motoki to buckle over in pain.

"Diamond, leave her!" I barked, but whatever Diamond had been doing, it was over, as his eerie third eye disappeared once more. I stared in horror as Diamond released his grip on her chin and motioned for the guard to let her go. Naru stood where she was, unmoving.

"How do you feel, my dear?" Diamond asked.

"Very well, my Lord," Naru replied. Her voice seemed distant and empty, lacking the life Naru always had.

"What did you do to her?" Motoki managed to choke out as he straitened up, clutching his stomach.

Diamond smiled and patted Naru on her shoulder, ignoring Motoki completely. "Take your place next to the Queen, my dear." Naru nodded and stepped over to where Selenity was. "It is a simple process of hypnotism, nothing more," Diamond stated as he brought his gaze back to me. "Something that simply lets me control what my subject does."

"How is it possible you hypnotized Queen Selenity? She is powerful," Malachite asked.

"The element of surprise can help you achieve anything. Now it helps me to have the Queen, along with the Silver crystal, on my side," Diamond replied as he motioned the Queen to approach him. She walked over, her face completely void of any emotion or life. Things still were not making sense though. Why had I lost contact with Usagi? What was he planning on doing now?

"I think we have talked long enough, Prince Endymion. Everything I tell you know you will soon forget anyhow. I was going to let you wander the universe for a while before doing this, to let you suffer, but since you are here now I might as well get it over and done with. Queen Selenity will now be so kind enough to help me out."

"How?" I asked cautiously.

"Well, I am going to send you back to the Earth, as I said before. Before that, though, I will need to hypnotize you the same as these kind Moon people. However, to ensure that you do not regain your memories and cause havoc for me, I first need to erase your former memories, or more importantly, take your entire living essence from you and wipe it clean. Then I can give you a new mind, new memories."

"No, you can't do that! Not with the Silver Crystal!" Usagi shrieked from behind me. "You'll kill him!"

"Not technically. He'll still be alive in body," Diamond replied soothingly.

"And what about her? What happens to Serenity and the Moon Kingdom?" I snarled.

Diamond smiled. "Don't worry. Both will be taken incredibly good care of." With those words, I watched with horror as Queen Selenity stepped in front of Diamond and held the Silver Crystal out before her, her eyes fixed on me. The stone began to glow and shimmer, filling the room with a bright silvery light. I struggled but my captor held on to me. I could hear shouts coming from Motoki, Malachite, and my men, but what horrified me the most was not the bright beam of light that was suddenly hurtling at me, oh no. It was the scream I heard before a golden haired figured jumped in front of me, right into the path of the glowing beam.

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_A/N: There you have it, an extra long, late chapter. There's going to be three more chapters at most I think, so soon this is going to be coming to an end. Hopefully a lot of questions were answered here, and the rest will be answered soon too, like why the string was gone and then came back, and a few other small details. The next chapter is going to be the climax more or less, so stay tuned for that. I know I said there wouldn't be a cliff hanger in this chapter, but it was just getting too long, and this was a good spot to stop. Don't worry though, there are not more huge twists planned. Until later then! --Anja _


	18. 17: Deathly Duel

**Chapter 17**

**Deathly Duel**

Time seemed to have stopped and all was suspended in air. Everything happened so fast that I was amazed I had time to analyze anything. Usagi had somehow managed to get out of Luna's grip when Queen Selenity sent the Silver Crystal's beam at me, and I thought I was going to die on the spot when I saw that she was standing directly in front of me with the powerful light hitting her, and her voice filling the air. Everything was suspended in the air: Usagi, her scream, the energy, everything.

As soon as time started up again, Usagi collapsed to her knees, and I feared once again I was in for a nervous breakdown. Everything was still, and I think even Prince Diamond was in shock and filled with dread. Usagi had not been his target, far from it. There she was though, on her knees before me, staring at her mother who was still holding the Silver Crystal before her.

"Usagi, no!" I screamed out, my warning and protest obviously too late. I heard Diamond curse angrily as both he and I dashed to Usagi's side, the guard who had been restraining me not strong enough to hold me back.

Usagi wavered and fell to the ground before either one of us reached her, and I thanked all living beings that I got to her before Diamond did. I scooped her into my arms and held her to my chest, the action effectively causing Diamond to come to a halt before me. I didn't pay attention to him though. I brushed Usagi's hair from her face and searched for signs of life and damage. My hand went to her throat and beneath my shaking palm I felt her pulse, strong and steady. Her eyes suddenly fluttered open and she stared up at me.

"I'm all right," she whispered softly.

I very nearly lost control of my bladder at that moment and embarrassed myself in front of everyone present. Her tone was so soft, so comforting, so soothing, and my frayed nerves almost couldn't take the relief I was feeling. Now, though, was the time. I hugged her fiercely and brought my lips to her ear.

"Lean on your elbows," I whispered quickly. I felt her shift her weight as I pulled my face from hers, and noted a confused expression etched on her features. At least she was listening to me. Without any further hesitation I shot to my feet and slammed myself into Diamond, who was still standing in front of me. He gave a yelp of surprise as he stumbled backwards, and a look of shock scorched his face when the sound of sliding steel filled the room. I couldn't understand his stupidity; was he really so infatuated with Serenity that he would have put himself into such a vulnerable position? Apparently so. His mistake meant victory though, for now as he fell with an unceremonious clatter to the ground, I stood before him, his sword in my hand, a glare aimed directly at him. I heard the sound of another sword being drawn and from the corner of my eye saw Sapphire holding his blade. At the same time I heard the rustle of fabric behind me as Serenity shifted. She stood and the quick pattering of her feet indicated her retreat towards the bed, away from what was about to become a violent scene.

"I suggest putting that sword down," I called out to Sapphire as my own blade inched closer to Diamond. There was a moment of silence before the clatter of steel was heard, but I was not pleased with the situation when I noted that the sword had been thrown only a few feet away from Diamond. Before I could react, Diamond was rolling, and his arm reached for the fallen weapon. I moved into action quickly, but even my reflexes failed me when Diamond twisted and leapt to his feet, his brother's blade in hand. I didn't like the situation. So many people filled the room that it would be hard to maneuver around everyone.

Diamond started to circle around me, his eyes glittering. I needed to get out of the room, get his attention completely focused on me and not on the fact that Usagi was still free and inching closer to her mother while everyone's attention was fixed on Diamond and me. My eyes did a quick scan of the room. There was no way I could get out the main door, there were simply too many people in the way. Then I noticed the balcony door, on the other side of the bed, blocked by no one. I spun on my heel and prayed I wouldn't slip as I jumped onto the bed and made a dash for the door. It swung open smoothly and I ran out, grateful that the balcony was spacious and open. I could hear Diamond following me, and I spun around once more, just in time to stop his blade from slicing me in half. The clashing sound of metal on metal was almost deafening in the calm night air.

"You're not going to win this one," Diamond grunted as he pushed against my sword, causing me to take a few steps back. I had always thought he would be a man who was a courtier at heart and in actions, but his strength was more like that of a warrior than a courtly fop. I scanned the area and shifted my feet, testing the stone balcony. Smooth as it was, it gave at least enough traction for me to be able to move around freely.

Diamond's sword gleamed with the reflection of the stars, the blade moving around it's carrier with a deadly grace that only the Dark Prince could grant it. I shivered. This was not going to be an easy or pretty battle.

"Do you fear me already, Endymion?" he hissed, a menacing smile on playing on his lips. Spirits, how I detested that self assured tone of voice.

I could hear a slight commotion at the door to the balcony, but I didn't dare look to see who our audience was. I was sure it was someone who supported Diamond, for my men and the people of the Moon were being held by Diamond's power and commands.

We inched closer to one another, neither willing to make the first real move. I tested the proverbial waters by raising the tip of my sword into the air between us, but it was quickly swatted away by Diamond's weapon. He wasn't going to toy around with me.

I was grateful that patience was my virtue, since it allowed me to hold back long enough for Diamond to strike first. His blade cut through the air swiftly and unexpectedly, a desire for blood ringing in the air with its approach. I leapt back out of its reach and tried to follow it with my own blade, but the sword dodged mine and escaped to safety.

Diamond smirked. "You're slower than I thought you would be," he purred as he made a second attempt, this time lunging and allowing his sword to aim for my heart. I parried the move and reciprocated with a slash towards his arm, but he evaded my move easily, twisting out of harms way. I followed him this time, slashing at the air where he was supposed to be. This wasn't working, I had to be more defensive. Stopping my forward motion, I risked a glance to the doorway. A few men stood there with Sapphire, Artemis, and Luna. No one dared step in between the two deadly blades, and all watched. I prayed Serenity was all right as I directed my attention back to Diamond, who had stopped moving as well.

"You seem unsure of yourself," Diamond taunted. "I like to see that. It shows weakness."

"You're misreading my caution as uncertainty," I shot back. "I assure you, I do not plan on losing this battle."

"It seems we will shed blood here, one way or another. I propose a deal. We both put our swords down and sit, like civilized men, to discuss this and come to some sort of agreement," Diamond offered.

"Not a chance," I snapped as I lunged forward, ready to do all it took to make sure his blood paid the price of all the bad he had done. Diamond moved to the side and slammed his sword onto mine, blocking the attack. I had expected that, and had my next move already in action. My leg swung out and slammed into his ankles, causing him to fall to his knees with an surprised grunt. His sword slid up along mine and whether it was by luck or plan, the cold steel of his blade slid right across my hand, drawing blood. I hissed as I pulled my hand back, causing Diamond to completely lose his balance and drop to his hands.

The sound of rushed footsteps filled the air and I knew I had to act fast. "This is your redemption for all you have done," I hissed softly as Diamond tried to get up. His eyes came up and met mine, but they found no mercy within me. He had crossed the line of civility and rightness one too many times, and he would only do so again, given the chance.

I took that chance away at that moment on the balcony, with the stars witnessing my actions and just intentions.

Sapphires cry pierced the air, and I turned in time to see him lunging at me. We fell to the ground in a tangle, both of us flailing and trying to subdue the other. Sapphire I did not want to kill, I had not come to know him to be a snake as his brother, and I still had many questions to ask the he would eventually answer.

I felt his hands enclose around my throat, but his trembling and anguished cries did nothing for his strength. I flung my sword as far away from us as I could and at the same time noted that no one else was coming to help Sapphire. I did hear commotion going on within the room, and that worried me.

I managed to turn both me and Sapphire over so he was laying beneath me. I slammed my elbow into his stomach, causing his grip to loosen on my neck. I took the opportunity the fling his hands from my throat and pin them at his sides as he continued to thrash. I felt pity for him as I stared down at the tears streaming down his face due to the scene he had just witnessed. He was probably the only reason why I remotely regretted Diamond's death, but despite that I knew that Sapphire had sins to account for as well. He had been his brother's accomplice.

"Endymion!" I heard Motoki's voice cry out. I turned my head in the direction of the door and saw Motoki frozen there, surveying the scene.

"I'm here, and I could use some help," I called out over Sapphire's cries. Motoki ran over and crouched down next to me, helping me subdue the grieving man.

"What happened?" I asked quickly, considering the fact that the last time I saw him, he was still bound by one of the Moon guards.

"A few moments ago they all just passed out, all of the Moon people in the room. They just dropped. Things are being taken care of in there, and I came here to see if you were all right," Motoki replied quickly. By now more men were rushing out onto the balcony, my men who had earlier been held by the guards under Diamond's mind control.

"Where's Serenity," I murmured.

"Inside. She's fine," he replied as my men reached us. I relinquished my hold on Sapphire to them and stretched myself, rubbing my throat gingerly in the process. My hand was throbbing and I quickly slipped off my cape to wrap the bleeding appendage in it to slow the blood flow. I didn't even want to imagine the amount of damage done to my fingers.

I walked to the door and stepped into the room, met with what could only be called orderly chaos. Bodies of the Moon guards littered the floor, their minds and bodies released from Diamond's control. I spotted Usagi almost instantly, kneeling on the floor with her mother's head in her lap. Naru stood next to her, giving a series of orders to one of my men. I quickly strode over to the two as my men tried to clean up the mess and make sure everyone was all right, with Malachite calling out orders to everyone.

Usagi looked up at me as I approached and her eyes grew wide when she saw me. I must have looked like a mess with my hair tousled, my clothing bloodied, my hand wrapped in my cape. I crouched down next to her, hugging my injured hand to my stomach. "I'm ok," I reassured her quickly.

"Where's Prince Diamond?" she asked hesitantly.

"Out on the balcony still," I told her. For some reason I didn't want to tell her I had just killed a man. It wasn't a side of me that was pretty and that Usagi would like.

"Alive?" she asked suddenly.

I sighed and shook my head. Usagi nodded and brought her gaze back down to her mother. "I suppose he deserved this," she murmured. Despite the fact that Diamond had done her so much wrong, there was still pain in her voice. Her tenderness extended even to her enemies. I supposed that was one of the reasons I loved her so much.

I wrapped my good arm around her shoulders and kneeled, bringing my lips to her temple in a rough kiss. She leaned towards me slightly, still cradling her mother's head. I rested my forehead against her, feeling suddenly very tired, very relieved, and very much so in need for things to return to a certain level of normality.

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A cool breeze filtered through the room as we all sat down. Two weeks had passed since the night on the balcony, and things were finally falling into place.

Queen Selenity took her seat at the round table and motioned for the rest of us to sit as well. I sat across from her, flanked by Usagi and Motoki, with Malachite on the other side of Motoki. Between Usagi and her mother sat Luna and Artemis.

"I hope you all slept well," Queen Selenity said. "I know last night was my first real night of rest."

"We slept fine, thank you," I replied.

"Good, I'm glad to hear it. You'll need your energy for your trip back to the Earth later this afternoon, though I must admit I am sad to see you leaving so soon."

"We'll come back soon, mother, but we need to deliver the report of what's going on," Usagi replied.

I nodded and looked at Malachite. "You said you would give us an overview of what happened with Sapphire."

Malachite nodded and folded his hands on the table before him. "He's been speaking more and more. I already informed you of his information about Diamond's advisor, Wiseman, and we already knew from Diamond himself that he was leading Diamond's armies to the Moon. We also knew he retreated upon sensing Prince Diamond had been defeated. The new information we have now from Sapphire pertains to what the back up plans were for the Dark Moon. Sapphire is now the rightful heir of the Dark Moon, and as such we cannot keep him prisoner here long without there being an uprising from his people. He is calling out for war, and I don't doubt he will carry out his threats for it. Besides that, war will be waged to avenge Prince Diamond."

"We'll be ready for that when the time comes. I'm sure that we will get support from many of the other kings of the solar system once the situation has been explained to them," Artemis added in.

"What did Sapphire say about Prince Diamond's actions and plans when he took over the Moon?" Luna asked.

"There isn't too much to tell. Diamond posses his third eyes, and with it the ability to control people's minds. One day when Queen Selenity went to see him, he brought her under his spell, and once she was in his control, the rest of the Moon followed easily. For several months Prince Diamond planned Princess Serenity's abduction. He drew on the memories of the Lunarians to create a scene almost identical to what it had been prior to his imprisonment. His plan was to bring Princess Serenity back and change what had happened, mainly making her hate Endymion and love him." Malachite paused, glancing around to see if anyone had any comment.

"What I don't understand is how he did it though," Usagi murmured.

"By way of illusion. He used people on the Moon to make them look like those who had been present at the time of the visit," Artemis explained.

"Why didn't he re-create my Senshi though?"

"Everyone he had to create by illusion could not be the same as the real people. He feared that if he made illusions of Ami, Minako, Makoto, and Rei that you would be able to tell right away that it was not them. He had a story planned to explain their absence if you asked, but you never did," Artemis said.

Malachite nodded and continued. "The drawback to all of this was that it took a lot of energy on Diamond's part to create this massive illusion, as well as still control the minds of the people on the Moon. He calculated how much time he could spend creating the illusion, so that he knew how far back to go in time, so to speak. He wanted to lull the princess into a sense of security, one where he could woo her. Part of gaining her trust also meant making her fear Endymion, which is the reason Sapphire was here, to play the rold of Endymion."

"It's amazing what power he had over everyone," I muttered. "When we landed on the Moon, I would have never guessed that Queen Selenity and everyone else was under some sort of mind control."

"He did his deeds well. All of his plans had back-up plans, even how he would convince you that Princess Serenity was not on the Moon," Artemis murmured.

Malachite took over talking again and detailed more things Sapphire had revealed to him. I was glad to finally be getting answers. Queen Selenity had been able to explain some things once she and her people had regained consciousness, since they remembered everything they had seen and heard while under the control of Diamond. My two biggest questions, why I had lost my link with Usagi and why it had come back, had been answered right away. Since our link was formed through the powers of the Silver Crystal, in such a complex way that I don't even remember how, then the Crystal could bend the rules of that link. Even though the thread between Usagi and me was supposed to be there forever, the Crystal could mask it. However, when Usagi had been in real danger, even the Crystal was powerless to mask our link.

I had already sent word home that we had found Usagi and that we were all safe and sound. I could imagine the look on father's face when he read about the war that would soon take place, but I would deal with that when I got home. One thing that I found strange was that after things had calmed down a bit in the days following the death of Prince Diamond, I thought about what had happened on the balcony. I would have thought that I would be happy and relieved that the bastard was dead, and that I would have a feeling of satisfaction of having been able to punish him for his deeds. Instead, though, I found that I felt more sorry for him than anything. I still despised him for what he had tried to do to Usagi, but I pitied him. I could, in a way, understand his obsession for her , and after fighting for her the way he did... he had been defeated.

For now I was content, though, that the worst was over. I had Usagi back, and there was no chance that I would ever be separated from her in such a manner again. As I glanced at her and paused my mind from listening to Malachite, I couldn't help but smile at the knowledge that everything was going to be all right.

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_--Disclaimer--_

_I do not own the rights to Sailormoon or any of the characters. That honor belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, and I am simply a lowly author who can use her characters for my plots._

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	19. 18: Breathless

_A/N: This was a long time coming, and I apologize for the delay. Life has been hectic, details I won't go into at the present time. I have an epiloge for this story, though otherwise this is the last chapter of "The Untouchable Princess." I have another tale planned, though I don't know when it will be released. I'll keep you updated as much as I can through the profile page, or author alert. I hope you all enjoyed thism and that chapter 18 was worth the wait. Anja._

**Chapter 18**

**Breathless**

The soft hum of the ship surrounded us; both it and the accompanying vibrations soothed me. We were heading back to the Earth, and as much as I didn't want to leave mother quite yet, I was happy to be going home with Endy. He would be coming back to the room soon since it was nearly time to go to bed. We had been traveling for a few hours already, and he had gone to speak with General Malachite and Motoki about a few new things Sapphire had said just before we left. I had opted to stay out of the meeting since it would probably drag on, and I wanted a little time alone. Endy hadn't left my side once since our reunion, not that I minded, but neither had anyone else. Now, though, within the safety of the moving ship, I was finally granted a little more solitude, though not without a lengthy convincing session with Endy. It took me over half an hour to persuade him I would be fine alone for a little while.

So he left. Then came back ten minutes later. Finally, I managed to make him leave again, and this time he didn't return on some feigned mission of having forgotten something.

And so, I sat at the window seat, finally having a few moments to myself to reflect back on what had happened. The whole situation still seemed so surreal. I felt as if I was going to the Earth for the first time again, with Endy and me being married for only a very short period of time. It was different now though. I didn't feel so confined and terrified. I trusted Endy, both him and his intentions.

I suddenly felt silly for being so afraid of him. I knew that back when we had first come to Earth together, I felt mistrust towards all men. I couldn't help it. No matter how much I thought about it, I simply could not fight against my subconscious. My brain shut off whenever I came near a man and my instincts took over, and all they were telling me to do was to fight with all my strength.

I appreciated Endy's patience with me. I could understand how hard it could be to have someone push you away the way I pushed him. Still, he remained with me and waited until I was ready to move a little further, to gain my confidence back.

I had to admit that the incidents with Sapphire had disturbed me. I could remember that night, which had happened only a few days before, when Sapphire had come to my room on the Earth. I had thought he was Endy, and not until it was too late did I realize it wasn't him. It was scary how similar they looked, how easily I had been fooled with some dim light. During my second encounter with Sapphire I had been just as easily deceived, and I had thought it was Endy the whole time. When I had opened my eyes after that second encounter and saw the real Endy staring down at me, I felt a strong surge of fear and anxiety, one I had not felt when in his presence in a very, very long time. I suddenly felt ill and nauseated from the memories of his attempt to break me... of course, I still believed at that time that he and Sapphire were one and the same.

I leaned my head on the wall behind me and closed my eyes. A feeling of relief swept through me, touching every fibre of my being as I thought of my husband. I trusted him, trusted him more than any other mortal, save for my mother whom I trusted just as much. She almost didn't seem to be on the level of mortals though. I felt like a walking irony almost. Before I had met Endy and Diamond, I had no reason to mistrust anyone. Crime was virtually non existent on the Moon and guards were kept around only as protocol and to make sure no small squabbles escalated into big ones. They were also to check everyone coming to the Moon, to make sure they posed no threat. After I had met Diamond though, my trust plummeted, after just one bad incident in comparison to a lifetime of feeling safe and trusting. I shook my head at the thought.

I heard a soft click and my head shot up. He was back! The door opened and I jumped from my seat. The look on Endy's face was priceless when I flung myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Usagi!" he gasped out as he regained his balance, shutting the door in the process. His arms wrapped around my waist protectively as he pulled me to him, and all I could do was sigh. It felt good to be so close to him again.

"I missed you," I murmured into the fabric of his tunic. He pressed his lips to the top of my head and I could have sworn I felt him smiling.

"I thought you were the one who wanted me to go," he said into my hair, his tone soft and teasing.

I pulled back a little and gazed up at him. His lopsided grin made me smile. "I did, but only because you needed to. Now I'm glad you're back though."

"I'm glad to be back too," he said, and I frowned as a look of worry passed over his features.

"What's wrong?"

"Malachite managed to get some new information out of Sapphire just before we left," he replied with a hint of anger. "It appears that Prince Diamond had an accomplice on Earth, a lady whom I would very much so like to have a word with right now, and it wouldn't surprise me if her brother had something to do with all of this too."

"Who are you talking about?" I asked as I racked my brain for every brother and sister duo we had at court.

"It appears that Anne had a hand in making your disappearance go so smoothly and quickly. She provided Diamond and Sapphire with instructions on how to get to our chamber and how to escape without causing any commotion or alarm too early."

I blinked in surprise. I had thought of her but dismissed the notion right away. "Anne? Why would she though?" I would have understood if Alan had been the one helping Diamond, I didn't trust him, but Anne?

Endy was quite for a few seconds. "I'm not entirely sure why. I would have never thought she would stoop so low as to commit treason."

"Not entirely sure?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. Something in his tone didn't make me very happy.

Endy ran his hand down the blue fabric of his tunic. "Lady Anne had feelings for me well before you and I ever met. She was hoping to become my Queen, and I think that was something she had been working towards for years. Needless to say, she was upset when she learned I was coming to the Moon to meet you, and even more upset when I returned with you as my wife." His eyes darted between the window and me, as though he expected that I would be angry with him

I didn't get angry. I just stared at him. I found it almost hard to believe, since Anne was always kind to me, never uttering a single sharp word. "I--I didn't know that. I would have never guessed." A feeling akin to jealousy welled up in my heart, but it was mixed with a tinge of sadness for Anne, the Lady whom Endy had rejected. I could imagine what I would feel like if he suddenly turned his back on me. Granted, he never had a relationship with the Lady Anne, so she really had lost nothing. However, I couldn't help but feel a sense of mourning for her.

Suddenly, I felt Endy's hand on my shoulder. His smile made my knees weaken as his strong fingers gently squeezed my skin. "It's late now, we should get some sleep."

I nodded absentmindedly as he squeezed my shoulder once more before going into our walk-in closet to change. I was already in my nightgown, the pale fabric falling comfortably around my frame. I ran my fingers across the soft material as I strolled back to the window and gazed out, crossing my arms in front of my chest for warmth. It wasn't cold in the room by any means, but I felt an odd chill sweeping through my body. I would have never suspected Anne as being any part of the whole escapade. It frightened me to know that a lady so close to me could turn out to be so sinister. Or was it possible that she wasn't sinister, but just madly in love?

"What are you thinking about?" Endy asked against my ear as his strong arms snaked around my waist. I was sure he could feel my tension, and I wasn't really sure how to explain what I was thinking to him.

"About Anne. I--I feel sorry for her." The confession was harder to say than I thought.

"Sorry for her?" Endy's arms loosened around my waist. "Why?"

I twisted a piece of silken fabric between my fingers. "I'm just picturing what she feels like, what could have brought her to do what she did. It must have been hard for her, watching you bring another woman into your life."

"But Usagi, she had you abducted," Endy exclaimed as he gripped my shoulders. " Who knows what would have happened to you if we didn't find you on the Moon."

"I know, but you did find me, and that doesn't change the fact that Anne still has feelings," I persisted, wanting him to understand what I was thinking before he made any rash decisions about Anne's fate. My words seemed to have sunk into his head since there was a long moment of silence. I felt him rest his chin on my shoulder and lean his head gently against mine.

"Usagi," he murmured quietly. "I just don't know what I would have done if I hadn't found you. When our link disappeared..." his voice trailed off and I could have sworn I heard his voice crack. The effect was my heart leaping into my throat as my breath hitched, and for a moment I could almost feel his very love flowing into my body. For me it had been easier, since I was led to believe he and I had never met. Yet for him it must have been so much worse, believing I was in danger, not knowing who had taken me or if I was safe and alive; all those things I didn't have to worry about with him.

"What do you want to do with her then?" I finally asked. "You can't deal with her the way you did with Prince Diamond."

Endy sighed. I could hear the battle between justice and compassion raging within him, seeking ou the answer he was to give. Finally, he spoke. "I don't know yet. My actions will be governed by her reaction to the whole situation. I can't forgive someone who shows no remorse, but even if she does, then I can't let justice go unfulfilled." He spoke with strength and determination, sounding more and more like the king he was going to become. He paused for a moment and drew me tightly against his chest. "We'll worry about that when we land though. Right now, all I want to think about is you."

His words and tone of voice sent a shiver down my spine as his hands gripped my hips and pulled me even closer to him. I wouldn't deny his request. "We should get to bed," I murmured. As much as I loved the attention I was getting from him, I knew he needed some sleep. Motoki had told me how little he had rested since my disappearance, and I knew from observing him that he still wasn't quite himself yet. He needed sleep, reassurance, and peace for a while.

I turned in his arms and prepared to pull myself away from him, but he held me in place. His deep blue eyes stared at me, dug into my mind as though he wanted to read my thoughts. I shivered as I felt his hand glide over my hip and up my side, over the skin of my neck, and to my cheek. His thumb stroked my cheek as he lowered his fingers where they molded themselves to my jaw, and he studied my face with such intensity I almost forgot to breathe.

"I love you, Usagi," he whispered softly, bringing his face down lower, so low I could feel his warm breath on my face. I reached up and touched my fingertips to his cheek, slowly dragging them along his skin to his lips. His eyes fluttered closed as I continued my trek. His skin was smooth and soft, and his lips quivered as my fingers outlined them. I nearly squeaked out when one of my fingers found itself being lightly sucked. Endy's eyes were open now, and the intensity in his eyes was unlike anything I had ever seen before. His own hands slid from my shoulders down my arms until they were resting on my hips again.

Without warning I found myself being slammed against his chest as he buried his face in my hair, breathing in deeply. I felt my own eyes close as his hands slid up and down my body from my hips to my ribs. A jolt ran through my body when I felt his lips make contact with my neck, kissing softly at first, then with more passion. I clung to his shoulders, letting him do as he pleased, encouraging him to do that which I had denied him for so long.

One of my arms encircled my waist as the other ran up and down my ribs and hip still. I felt the silky texture of his hair as my hand wandered up to the back of his neck, and I felt him shiver as my fingers stroked the sensitive skin there. I almost lost awareness of his fingers sliding over my side when suddenly his fingertips brushed over a rather sensitive piece of flesh above my ribs. My hand froze and my whole body tensed. Endy froze too. Both of us stood there, not moving, not daring to take the next step... and then I felt Endy's hand shift ever so slightly, continuing it's upward motion.

I took in a sharp breath, ready to scream, as all my muscles tensed up-- but no scream came. The air remained lodged in my lungs as Endy's gentle fingers moved up very slowly, painfully slowly, until his palm came in contact with the mound and his entire hand cupped me. Instead of pulling back and screaming, like my mind wanted me to, I found myself instead standing very still. Suddenly my heart leapt into my throat as Endy gave a light tug on our heart string, and my back arched, causing me to come even closer to him. I let my breath out in one shuddery gasp as Endy flexed his fingers ever so cautiously

"Breath, Usagi," he whispered in my ear, his voice cracking and heavy with emotion. "Don't forget to breath."

I managed to nod somehow and took a deep breath as his hand left its former position. He leaned closer and laid his lips on mine, the kiss being both chaste and passionate at the same time. I felt, through the gentle brush, his love being poured into me, promises of devotion and patience. I leaned in a bit, tilting my face, and I was rewarded with a content sigh from my husband. I suddenly found myself being scooped up into his strong arms and carried to our bed, my former fears left standing at the window as he lowered me to the soft coverlets, and finally, I became his wife.


	20. Epilogue

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**Epilogue**

Sparkling clearer than any diamond, the serene waters of the lake surrounded the small island Usagi and I were laying on. It was the middle of summer and the sun was high in the sky, blazing down on all the land in its full glory. A large parasol shielded us from the burning rays, and the soft grass served as our blanket. In the distance I could hear splashing, screaming, and giggling as our guests enjoyed the cool water. The girls had all come to visit for a few weeks, and we were currently staying at a summer retreat some fifty miles from the city.

I propped myself up on my elbows and looked down the hill to the water. The air sparkled with water droplets being sprayed by Ami, Rei, Minako, Makoto, Naru, and Anne. Motoki and Alan sat on the shore, watching the laughing girls, talking together. Their clothing was plastered to them and their hair glistened, showing they had fallen victim to the revelry in the shallows. I smiled lightly. This was the way things should be. Granted, Anne and Alan being in the picture was a bit off, or so it would have seemed only months before. I could still remember it clear as a bell, our ship docking the harbor of Earth's palace so short a time after leaving to find Usagi.

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_We stood in our room aboard the ship, preparing to disembark._

_"Usagi, Motoki is going to take you to our room. You'll wait there for me while I go and find father and tell him that we found you safe and sound. First, though, I want to find Anne, and talk to her before she knows we found you." My words felt clipped and cold. I tried to ease my tone for Usagi's sake, but thoughts of Anne and what she did made my blood boil. I only hoped I would be able to remain calm long enough to speak with her without giving anything away._

_"Why? Why don't you want her to know I'm here?" Usagi wrapped her arms around my waist from behind as I laced up my vest. _

_"I'd like to see how she's dealing with the fact that you're gone, if she's feeling any guilt of remorse," I told her. Her hands tightened their grip briefly before she slid them away from me. _

_"All right, I'll go to our room. Don't be too long though." Her voice was edged in concern and hesitancy. _

_I turned around quickly and wrapped my arms around her, giving her a tight squeeze. "Don't worry, everything will be fine. I promise I'll hear her out and not make any rash decisions. Besides," I pulled back slightly to look down at her, "I'm sure father will want a hand in this as well."_

_Usagi nodded slowly. I cupped her cheek and gave her a quick kiss before walking out of the room. It was hard leaving her. Each second that we were separated, I was in fear that I would not be able to find her again. It was almost an obsession within my heart, the need to be with her, to protect her, to make sure she was all right... was this what she felt like? Was her fear of men so strong and vivid in her? I could only guess. _

_Everywhere I turned there was bustling activity. Our return was unexpected, since everyone thought we would be gone for weeks at least. The crew of the ship were told to keep quiet about all that had transpired, at least until I talked to my father and Anne. I knew I could trust them, but I still wanted to deal with everything as quickly as possible. Thus, I walked to my father's library where I was sure to find him._

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"What are you thinking about?" Usagi asked.

I turned my head to look at her as she gazed at me curiously. Her eyebrows arched above her liquid sapphire eyes as her lips pursed every so slightly into a pout. I leaned my head down and bumped my nose against hers, resisting the urge to chuckle as she blinked in surprise.

"I was thinking about you, and how happy you make me," I replied, basking in the smile she bestowed upon me. "And how much I love you."

I suddenly found myself on my back with a pair of soft lips pressed against mine in a rather intimate fashion. Startled at first but rather enjoying the attention, I brushed my fingers over Usagi's neck and through her hair, letting the silken strands entangle my hand. A tingle ran down my spine as she brushed my lips with her tongue, her delicate hands clutching my shirt.

Yes, life was good.

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_The door closed with a soft click behind me and I let out a sigh. Father had been more than a little surprised that I was back so soon, more than a little pleased that I was back so soon and with Usagi, more than a little upset when I told him about what had occurred, and more than a little angered about Anne's treachery. He agreed to let me handle the situation with Anne at least, and then said he would take a look at the situation with Diamond's kingdom, as well as send an ambassador to the Moon._

_I strode down the long hallways, heading right to where Anne and Alan's rooms were. The wing of the castle was fairly quiet since all of the local nobility were fast asleep and not expected to welcome each docking ship in the wee hours of the morning._

_The room I was seeking came up before me, the golden numbers on the door glistening in the soft light my candle was casting upon them. I sighed softly before raising my hand and rapping gently on the wooden beams. I would be waking her up, but I didn't care. This was important, and her beauty sleep would have to wait. _

_A few moments passed before I saw a light under the door and heard footsteps approaching. The hinges made no sound as a maid peeked out, a shawl held tightly around her shoulders. As soon as she saw my face her eyes went wide and she opened the door all the way, dropping me a quick curtsey. _

_"It is an honor to have you here, your grace," she murmured quickly. _

_"I wish to speak with your mistress," I told her, my face giving away none of the emotion I was feeling, or so I hoped. The maid dropped me another quick curtsey and told me she would go wake her. The door closed with a soft click as the young woman retreated into the room, and I could hear her footsteps retreating. I stood in the corridor for a full ten minutes before the door opened once more and the same maid gestured for me to enter. I did, and was greeted with Anne standing before the door leading to her bedroom, a smile on her face._

_"Prince Endymion, what an unexpected surprise," she said sweetly, quickly running her fingers over her skirt to smooth out any missed wrinkles from her hasty dressing. "I didn't think your Grace would be back on the Earth so soon."_

_"Neither did I," I replied," but due to some unfortunate," as well as fortunate, "circumstances, I have been forced to return._

_"None pertaining to the well being of the Princess, I hope," Anne replied, a look of worry filtering across her face. I couldn't tell if it was genuine worry or not_

_"I'm afraid so. She was in a few unpleasant situations, none of which I'm happy about," I replied. Anne's eyes widened slightly but she kept her composure._

_"I'm so sorry to hear that, Prince Endymion. May I ask what happened?" She motioned to a chair for me to sit, but I made no move to accept the invitation._

_"Serenity as taken and forced into some uncomfortable and horrifying situations. I have returned here because I have received some information that there was a person who helped Prince Diamond, here, within the palace. I was hoping that perhaps you might be able to help me find the identity of the traitor. You are close to Serenity; did you notice anyone who had a grudge against her or would have wanted her to be gone from Earth?" I studied her movements, the way she placed her hand on her now pink cheek, the way she glanced from the window to me, the way she sighed shakily as she dropped her hand to her side. _

_"I cannot say for sure, your Grace. Are there any suspects as of yet?" she finally asked, lowering her eyes to the ground. _

_I stared at her hard. "Yes," I replied. "You."_

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Usagi pulled away from our kiss and stared down at me. "I love you," she whispered, and rubbed her nose against mine. I slid my arm around her waist and held her to me tightly.

"Not interrupting anything, am I?" I heard Motoki as cheekily from somewhere. Usagi slid off me and I sat up. Motoki stood before us, dripping wet, probably having just endured another attack from the visiting princesses.

"Of course not," I replied, my voice laced lightly with sarcasm. "What can we do for you?"

Motoki glanced at Usagi and then back at me. "I was just worried about the Princess and came to make sure everything was all right. She looks a little... overheated." Motoki kept glancing from me to Usagi and back, and at the final word he glanced in the direction of the lake. Usagi was busy digging through the basked of food we had brought with us to notice Motoki's suggestive plotting. I grinned at him.

"I'm sure that Usagi is just fine," I told him as I got to my feet. Usagi stopped her rummaging and looked up at Motoki.

"Are you sure?" Motoki asked, a look of worry on his face. "She's been sitting for quite a while. You're sure she isn't dizzy?"

Usagi obviously didn't like being talked about as if she wasn't there. She pulled herself to her feet and spun around. "I'm fine Motoki, see? Not dizzy at all."

A squeal emitted from Usagi as she found herself being swept off her feet and flung over my shoulder. Motoki and I laughed as I started to jog down towards the water, my wife bouncing on my shoulder.

"Wh-at d-o y-you think y-our do-ing?" she managed to say sharply amidst bounces. Her squirming form was trying to get out of my grasp, but I held on. She gave a soft scream when she realized we were heading to the water, but I gave no mercy as I plunged into the cool waters, the laughter of everyone surrounding us. I was punishing myself as well, submerging my own heated body beneath the frigid surface, but it was worth the startled gasp from Usagi as she suddenly clung to me.

"Endy, how could you! This is freezing!" I slowly released my grip and let her slide from my shoulder, thus submerging her further in the lake. She started splashing me furiously, but I just laughed and dove beneath the surface, most likely eliciting yet another scream as I grabbed her ankle. I couldn't help but smile.

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_Anne's face paled as she brought her eyes up to meet mine. "That is a very strong accusation to make, Prince Endymion, especially without any proof." Even though she was trying to look and sound both determined and strong, her desired affect fell short of her expectations._

_"I have testimony and an eyewitness to your actions," I said clearly. "And I'm sure that Prince Sapphire would be more than happy to display the proof before my father and a jury of your peers, if you chose to have one." It was a lie, or at least partially. Sapphire had given us the information, but I wasn't sure how eager he would be to testify against Anne if a trial was called for._

_"What happened to the Princess?" she asked after a moment of silence. "Please, I need to know."_

_"Why did you do it, Anne?" I asked, my voice sharper than I had intended it to be._

_"I-I don't- I didn't want her to... you..." her eyes filled with tears and her shoulders trembled, but I made no move to calm her, showed no outward sympathy. I stood still, unwavering, until Anne fell to her knees, trembling, with tears flowing down her face. "I never wanted her to get hurt."_

_I stared down at her. "Did you think Diamond would treat her as a sister and make sure she was happy?"_

_She said nothing; she only continued to sob._

_"Endy..." Usagi's soft voice reached my ears. Anne's eyes shot wide open as she looked behind me at the door, and let out a strangled cry._

_"Usagi, you were supposed to stay in the room," I said gently, turning around. I let my features soften as I stared at her, peeking her head into the room. She walked in and glanced from me to Anne. Her face twisted in worry and concern as she glided across the smooth floor to where Anne was kneeling. Anne stared up at Usagi, her eye red and puffy, tears streaming down her face._

_"Serenity," she whispered._

_All I could do was watch as Usagi lowered herself to her knees and wrapped her thin arms around Anne's trembling form. Anne's large, glossy eyes closed._

_She was repentant. Usagi had forgiven her. Now it was my turn._

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The sun was setting slowly on the horizon, it's golden beams reflecting off the now still waters of the lake. Usagi was wrapped safely in my arms as we stood on the small balcony, watching the sun and moon exchange watches of the night sky. Her hair was still damp from our last dip in the lake. She sighed and leaned against me more. I wrapped my arms around her tighter and nuzzled her neck.

"Are you still worried?" she asked me quietly. I knew what she was talking about; in less than a month we would travel to the Moon, and there she would be bound to the Silver Crystal. It was the reason I had married her in the first place, the purpose of our marriage. She would need me, and I was prepared to give her every ounce of my strength.

"Yes, but not as much as before," I replied. Of course I was worried. Usage was going to be put in danger. At least I played a large enough role to be able to ensure nothing would happen to her. "I just hope we hear some news by then of the Dark Moon." Sapphire had somehow managed to escape the custody of Queen Selenity, but he had not made any threats or promises of war yet. A few ambassadors had been sent to the Dark Moon and had arrived safely, but no negotiations had been entered right away.

I still felt uneasy about everything. I felt as though Sapphire had gotten off the hook completely, as had Anne. I had grudgingly given her pardon for her part in Usagi's abduction, but she was stripped of her noble titles and offered the place of Usagi's lady-in-waiting. Pride injured but not crushed, Anne accepted the post, most likely with hopes of earning her position in court back one day. Alan, of course, had been distraught over his sister's betrayal as well as her punishment, but his protests were not loud or long. I didn't understand how Usagi could have forgiven Anne so quickly and freely, but that was just the kind of woman she was.

"I don't want to think about the Dark Moon tonight," Usagi murmured as she turned in my arms, lacing her hands behind my neck. "We can worry about that tomorrow."

I smiled and lowered my head to steal a kiss from her pretty pink lips. She gave me her kiss freely, and demanded one back. I, of course, happily complied. I brought one hand down to rest on her lower back and pull her closer, as my other cupped her soft bottom. She squeaked as I pulled her right up close to me, and melted into my embrace. She sighed against my lips ran one of her delicate hands down my chest, bringing it to rest on my hip. I broke our kiss and nibbled her neck lightly, earning myself a shiver and gasp from my wife.

"Feel like going to bed?" I whispered hoarsely in her ear, enjoying the way she ran her fingers roughly across my neck and through my hair. I felt her nod against my shoulder, which was all the encouragement I needed to scoop her up and carry her inside. I loved the way her hair fanned out over the silken bed as I lay her down, the way her hands grabbed at my shirt, the way she moaned my name...

Yes, life really was good.

As Usagi and I lay in bed, the night stars twinkling and winking at us through the balcony window, I pulled my sleeping wife closer to me and buried my nose in her hair, reveling in the feeling of her bare skin against mine. I loved her greatly, and I knew her lover for me ran just as deep. The fact that she gave me her trust humbled me, and her sweet nature kept me in love. I didn't know what the future would bring, what wars we would have to fight with the Dark Moon, what possible ploys Anne might devise, what would happen to Usagi after her binding... but I was certain that no matter what, our love would keep us together and happy.

"Endy..." Usagi's groggy voice caught my attention as she shifted in her sleep. "We haven't played chess in a long time, haven't we?"

I smiled to myself, a grin that I was sure Usagi could feel. I pulled her close to me and chuckled. "But we've been playing all along," I whispered as I lowered my lips to her bare shoulder and whispered softly against the satin smooth skin, "Checkmate."

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_**The End**_

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_--Disclaimer--_

_I do not own the rights to Sailormoon or any of the characters. That honor belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, and I am simply a lowly author who can use her characters for my plots._

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_A/N: Well, that's it for "The Untouchable Princess." I hope you enjoyed this quick tale. It was fun to write, but I'm glad it's done. Stay tuned for more tales, I have a few floating around in my head. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, your kinds words and encouragment kept me going and writing, and your criticism had me scrutinizing my words and improving my writing. My thanks for your time, and I hope I will be able to pen other tales you will find enjoyable. -- Anja_


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